Heroes and Villains
by The Caped Avenger
Summary: Across the course of six days, a lot happens between six friends. But nobody knows the whole story. Delve into each of their minds and feelings in order to find out, but beware- you may not like what you find. Violence, mild language and adult themes.
1. Focus

Day One

It was three o'clock in the morning. Twilight Sparkle was sitting at her desk by the window. She was staring at a book on magical wildlife, but was unable to retain any information from the words passing under her gaze. Often times, she read through a whole paragraph before realizing that she had no idea what it had been about. _Come on,_ she thought to herself. _Focus!_ But she was so incredibly tired that her thoughts simply drifted about uncontrollably. Sighing in surrender, she marked her place in the book and closed it. She leaned forwards onto the desk, resting her chin in her folded forelegs and staring out the window. When she stopped trying to marshal her thoughts, a hitherto unnoticed buzzing in her ears had died. Twilight breathed in the silence, and the air felt fresher than usual. _So this is what relaxing feels like, _she mused. _I think I like this. _Nothing was moving outside her window. Just a gentle breeze, and a cricket chirping. _The book can wait. Just until the morning._

But then, something caught Twilight's eye; a small shadow, just barely noticeable, was stirring in the distance. She didn't want to lift her head - she wasn't sure that she _could_ have - but her eye followed the shadow. It rose above the horizon, and was silhouetted against the calm, moonlit sky. _It has wings. What could it be? _Twilight's fatigue-addled brain took longer than usual to put two and two together. _It's coming from Fluttershy's house... yes, it's definitely Fluttershy. _Her interest was immediately piqued. _What's she doing out this late? And where's she going? _Fluttershy - The shadow - flew along the horizon, and passed out of Twilight's vision. In order to continue watching her path, Twilight would have to physically stick her head out of the window. The prospect of this exertion was too much for her, and she let her eyes close, pondering what she had seen. _Maybe she heard a bunny stub its toe on the other side of town._ She giggled softly to herself. _Fluttershy had a good heart, I'm sure of that_. Whatever she was doing, Twilight was confident that it wasn't anything suspicious. And on that comforting note, she drifted off to sleep.

Day Two

When she stepped out of her tree the next morning, it was to find Ponyville already full of ponies. She had slept in, and was getting a late start to her day. _Applejack will already have been out by now, and Rainbow's probably still asleep. Pinkie will be at Sugarcube Corner. I may run into Fluttershy, though. I can ask her about last night. _And as if fate had heard and obeyed the unicorn, Fluttershy turned around a corner and into view at that very instant. _Huh, lucky._

"Fluttershy!" Fluttershy looked around at the sound of her name, found Twilight Sparkle, and began to trot towards her. Twilight's eye was immediately drawn to the dark green dress that Fluttershy was wearing. She had been wearing dresses like this for months now, and nobody bothered questioning it anymore. When asked why, she merely responded, "I just feel like getting dressed up sometimes." Naturally, Rarity wholeheartedly approved.

"Hey Fluttershy. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm very good. How about you?"

"I'm fine. Just a little tired."

"Really? Why?

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, I was up really late last night, and I saw you flying outside my window. What were you doing?"

"Oh!" Fluttershy was taken aback. "Well, I was making a late-night visit to a berry patch. Angel woke me up and told me he wasn't feeling well, and berries always make him feel better when he's under the weather."

"I see..." Twilight trusted Fluttershy, but she did seem a bit too surprised. "And you didn't have any at your house?"

"Oh no, I was all out." Twilight studied her carefully. _Something suspicious is definately going on here._ Fluttershy smiled nervously, uncomfortable under her penetrating stare. _Well, no good to be done in asking her again. I'll have to find out on my own. You're hiding something, and I'm gonna figure out what._

"Okay, just wondering. I'll see you later!" Twilight said cheerily. And then, she walked away, into the bustling town square. She was aware that she had been rather rude to Fluttershy, but she wanted some time alone to think. Fortunately, she was not yet deep enough into detective mode to prevent her conscience from kicking in, and she was seized by a desire to look back over her shoulder to see if Fluttershy was angry. As surreptitiously as possible, Twilight glanced backward. Fluttershy was standing where she had left her. She did not look angry. She just looked worried, and glum. Feeling a bit guilty, Twilight set her sights on the restaurant she had been meaning to visit.

Twenty minutes later, she was sitting at a table with a grass sandwich in front of her. Still not convinced that Fluttershy was telling the truth, she munched thoughtfully on her food. _What would she be doing at three in the morning that she doesn't want to tell me about? Maybe I should ask somepony else. But who? _Twilight continued to mull the matter over as she ate. _Maybe Rainbow Dash. She's the only other Pegasus I know._ _Yes, I'll ask her._ Bolstered by the thought of a plan, a clear next step, Twilight finished her sandwich, left a shining pile of bits on the table by way of payment, and took off toward her next adventure.

Her destination was Sugarcube Corner. After a quick and relatively painless negotiation with Pinkie, who seemed to be in something of a bad mood, Twilight obtained the hot air balloon for her own use. And so, some minutes later, she was floating up towards Rainbow Dash's castle. As she rested in the basket, she felt more relaxed than she could remember feeling for a very long time. _Interesting, considering this is the most exciting thing I've done for a long time. It's like I'm a detective. There is a mystery to be solved, and I will not rest until I've solved it! And yet, I'm resting right now. Perhaps it's the pursuit of knowledge that's relieving the stress. But I'm always pursuing knowledge; I spend all day reading, learning... so why don't I enjoy it? _But Twilight Sparkle shook herself. _Come on, focus. That's not why you're here. You're here to solve a mystery. You're here to uncover the truth. You're here on a quest for knowledge. I can't afford to get sidetracked. _

And then, she arrived. The hot air balloon, which she had been steering lazily by means of magic, came to a halt just outside Rainbow Dash's front door. Twilight leaned over the edge of the basket, reached out a hoof, and knocked. Rainbow Dash was at the door startlingly fast.

"Hi Twilight!" Rainbow grinned at the sight of Twilight in this uncomfortable position. "What're you doing up here?"

"I just wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Well, it's about Fluttershy." At these words, Rainbow Dash looked much more shocked than was appropriate in response this rather mundane comment.

"What about her?" Twilight repeated her story to Rainbow Dash. And then, on a sudden inspiration, she added:

"I haven't asked Fluttershy what she was doing, because I didn't want to pry. But I thought maybe you could shed some light on the situation."

"Why'd you go straight to me?" _And now she's getting defensive. _What_ is going on?_

"Well, since you're both pegasi, I thought maybe you would have the best idea. Y'know, maybe something unicorns wouldn't understand." This was an honest answer, but Rainbow Dash still looked very suspicious. They looked at each other for a while, neither of them trusting the other. Twilight was beginning to feel uncomfortable, a feeling which resulted from both the awkwardness of the situation and having to lean over the edge of the basket to talk. She wished Rainbow would hurry up.

"Well, I don't know where she goes." Twilight considered pressing the matter, but she was beginning to ache, and the basket was cutting into her skin.

"Okay, thanks anyway." Twilight sat back in the balloon, and flew off.

On the way back, she thought again about what had happened. _Well, she definitely knows something, and she doesn't want to tell me. What's going on? _Twilight was a smart unicorn. _"I don't know where she goes". That's an odd thing to say, considering she only went once. This must be a regular thing. So, I know what I have to do. I have to follow her the next time she goes out. Of course, she thought, that means I'll have to stay up 'till three A.M. again. _It was a sickening prospect, but it must be done. For science!

The rest of the day seemed to drag by, and she wasn't sure how well she handled it. She was rude to Pinkie Pie when she wouldn't leave her alone, and she snapped at Spike when he tried to tell her about somebody who came to visit. _This is what having friends is about, _she thought to herself as she climbed up the stairs leading to her bedroom, _but they really are ridiculous, that bunch. There's some kind of drama going on between Rainbow and Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie can't keep her mouth shut for five seconds, and Spike thinks I want to hear about every pony who walks past the door. And I'm sure if Applejack or Rarity were here, I'd be mad at them too._

_But, _said another little voice inside her, _maybe that means that the problem is on your end. _Twilight wasn't sure which voice was really hers. They were speaking independently from her conscious thoughts. This was her soul speaking to itself, and she had no part in the conflict.

_Maybe I was a bit rude, but come on! Every day, Pinkie comes up with some new scheme, and I have to be punished for it. That's completely unreasonable!_

_But that's just Pinkie being her normal self. She's always unreasonable. They're all unreasonable. So why is it bothering you today, of all days?_

_Maybe I just haven't gotten enough sleep?_

_That's enough! _This was Twilight's voice, Twilight speaking to herself. _It's not about me being angry, or tired, or annoyed. It's about the truth! The truth must be found. At any personal cost._

When the sun had set, and Spike was already asleep, Twilight was at her desk. It was 11 o'clock. She needed something to do, something to occupy her for four hours, but there was nothing. All she wanted was to go to bed, but no! Fluttershy, and her secret affairs, and Rainbow Dash's lies, they kept her awake, deprived her of that sweet necessity, sleep. The minutes ticked by, and Twilight sat, tapping her hoof, thoughts racing around inside her head. Her thoughts were harried, fleeting, as if they were in some kind of rush, and she was having trouble pinning them down. _Focus!_ But with data or without, she found no joy in theorizing, or deducing, or organizing. _What happened? I was having a great time on the way to Rainbow's. I was as relaxed as could be. But everything went downhill from there. Why is this so hard? _Finally, when she thought it must be nearing 3 A.M., she pulled her head off the desk and into the air. She looked around at the clock. It was 12:30.

At 1 o'clock, she began pacing back and forth around the library, for fear of falling asleep. At 2, she ran her face under cold water. At 2:30, she returned to her desk. It was 2:55, and she was leaning out the window, straining her eyes for a speck on the horizon. Then three in the morning came. There was nothing. Twilight's head hit the desk with a loud clunk. It would have been very painful had she been awake to feel it.

Day Three

When Twilight woke up, most of the next day had passed. She was hungry, thirsty and sore. But she felt good. The previous night had been living hell, but she was stronger now. The moment she regained consciousness, a thought flew into her head._ Fluttershy wasn't there. So, what could have happened? _She immediately hopped to her hooves and began pacing excitedly. _Okay, possibilities... possibilities. She might have stopped because she knows I saw her. Or, maybe the time switches every night, and she went later. Or, perhaps it doesn't happen every night. Maybe, every other night, or every third night, or every week. What might it be, then? Perhaps she's buying something... something illegal. But Fluttershy? Se doesn't seem the type... unless, maybe it was some kind of medicine for an animal! That could be it. I'll have to check my books, maybe it's in there somewhere. Or... it could be that-_

"Twilight?" Twilight looked around, distracted, and found Spike looking up at her.

"Oh, hi Spike." He looked more than a little uncomfortable, shuffling his feet and wringing his claws nervously.

"Are you okay?" This took her utterly by surprise.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, it's just, you've been sleeping all day, and everypony's been wondering where you were and why you hadn't left the house, and you're acting a bit odd, and... well..."

"What do you mean, 'I'm acting a bit odd?'" said Twilight, two hooves still off the floor in mid-pace.

"Never mind. Just wondering if something's wrong."

"No, nothing's wrong. You can tell the others that I'll be out, at some point."

"At some point. Got it." Spike walked out, still looking uneasy.

_Huh, what was that about? Sure, I slept in a bit, but that's not anything strange. Well, never mind. It doesn't matter. So what was I thinking about? Right, Fluttershy._

Twilight spent the rest of day inside, pouring over books about illegal substances, the history of Equestria law, different herbs and fungi, and anything else she thought may provide answers. Several times during the day, ponies knocked on her door. She ignored them. The day seemed to pass in a haze for Twilight Sparkle, looking through book after book, trying to find answers. When the sun had begun to set, she had looked through almost every book in her library which was even vaguely related to the matter at hand. She found absolutely nothing. When she looked at the clock, it was nearly midnight. At that moment, she made a decision. _I'm going to stay up and look for Fluttershy again. _An entire day of no progress had greatly unsettled her. She would do anything it took to find out more. And so, she sat at her desk and waited. It was very boring, but much less torturous than the previous night, since she had gotten about fourteen hours of sleep last night. When it was nearly three, she leaned out the window, anticipation making her giddy. _Tonight. She'll come out tonight. I know it!_ And she looked. And looked. And then, she found.

A shadow was rising above the horizon, as it had two nights ago. Now that she looked carefully, it could not have been anypony but Fluttershy's silhouette. Her long, distinctive mane was just barely visible, swinging beneath her head. Her tail was also visible, leaving a silky wake as she moved through the air. Then, she flew forward, and the moonlight cast her face into sharp relief. On a sudden whim, Twilight closed her eyes, and marshalled a small burst of magical energy. Every lamp in the library was instantly extuinguished. To the untrained eye, Twilight could now have been asleep. But a more attentive watcher, who took the time to look closer, would see Twilight leaning out her window, still very much awake. Her gaze followed Fluttershy as she drifted forwards, and up. Twilight leaned further, nearly falling out the window in her desperation to see where she was going. And as she neared it, Fluttershy's destination became clear. She was going to Rainbow Dash's.

Day Four

Twilight Sparkle was at her wits' end. She had woken up bright and early in order to shop, and the entire day had been miserable. When she stepped out of her house, everypony wanted to talk to her. This idea couldn't have been less appealing to Twilight, who really just wanted to buy some hay and get back home as quickly as she could. She had to physically fight off Ditzy Doo the mail pony on the way home, yelling, "Get off me, Ditzy! We'll talk later!"

But when she finally got home, she was not relieved. She was just glum. _Alright. So what could be going on? _She really didn't want to be a detective right now, _but it's not like I have a choice. This mystery is too interesting to leave now. _She spent the entire rest of the day making half-hearted attempts to think. But nothing came. _Maybe... they're building something? Or maybe... they're planning something? But what would they be building? Neither of them are exactly craftsponies. Maybe, they're practicing a trick... but why wouldn't they want to tell me? They could be planning a surprise party, like they did for Pinkie. But why wasn't everypony else in on it? And my birthday isn't even close._

She continued in this manner for hours, coming up with increasingly ridiculous theories. _Weapons testing for the military... Interpretive dance...Cheering lessons..._

But there was no burst of realization, no euphoric wave of understanding as there had been before. She had reached a dead end. _I need help. _She looked at the clock. It was almost midnight again. _I need help solving this mystery. Who could I ask? I'm not sure it's safe to tell any of my friends. Pinkie would be useless, Rarity would tell me I'm wasting my time. And Applejack... _she thought for a while, picturing her honest, caring friend's reaction... _Applejack would tell me to nose out._

_Would she be right? _The same, small reasonable voice was back again.

_Of course she wouldn't be, _Twilight chided it. _I don't know what's going on, but it's important. It must be important. It's the __truth!_ At this word, Twilight slammed a hoof against her desk. Spike rolled in his sleep, and Owlowicious hooted in protest. But she didn't care. _This will be solved! _And yet, who could she turn to? _Alright. I have no choice. I have to ask Princess Celestia._ Even as Twilight magiced a blank scroll out of its drawer, she had some doubts. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling that Celestia wouldn't provide the answers she was looking for. _But I have to try._ _She's a wise pony, and even if she doesn't give me what I came for, she'll know what to do._ And at that comforting thought, she began to write.

_Dear Princes Celestia,_

_There is a mystery occurring over here in Ponyville, with which I hope you can help me. I have tried my utmost to unravel it myself, but it is beyond my abilities. __I think you are the only one I can turn to. I would like to request a meeting with you some time tomorrow, if you are not too busy._

_Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle_

She looked at the letter proudly. _Not bad._ After waking a grumbling Spike to send it, she settled into bed. _I wonder how soon she'll reply? Probably not until morning. But, I'd better be up early to catch it._

Day Five

Twilight did indeed wake up early that morning. She had to roll herself off the bed and onto the floor to avoid the temptation of just falling back asleep. However, despite her early wake-up, Princess Celestia's reply was on the table by the time she had dragged herself downstairs. Seeing the scroll, a promise of fresh progress, gave her the strength to hurry over to the table and open it.

_Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student,_

_I received your rather late letter last night, and am prepared to meet with you immediately. I shall send a coach for you at 11 o'clock today. Meet with it in the town square, and it will take you straight to my palace in Canterlot. I hope to be of assistance._

_Eagerly awaiting your visit, Princess Celestia_

Startled at the swiftness with which Celestia had prepared a meeting time, Twilight looked around at the clock. It was 10:45.

The next fifteen minutes were a blur of activity. Her brain was not prepared for this kind of jolt, and she felt dizzy as she freshened up at the sink. A blast of cold water tore through her fatigue, and her pace only quickened as time sailed onward, and the coach flew closer. By the time she hurtled out the door, she was nearly late. She raced down the streets of Ponyville, just barely slowing down to aboid barrelling over pedestrians. Heads turned as the purple blur whizzed by, and somepony screamed her name. But she didn't stop, or look back. By the time she reached the town square, it was 11:04, and the coach was gleaming like a statue in the center of the clearing. She skidded to a halt outside its golden door, and pulled it open. Now that she had stopped running, she realized how exhausting her sprint had been. The moment she collapsed onto the cushy backseat of the chariot and slammed the door behind her, it took off on its own, powered by some reserve of magic within Equestria's royal palace. Inside the carriage, Twilight found no shortage of shiny surfaces in which to appraise her appearance. She looked a bit messier, and sweatier than she would have liked, _but at least I'm not late._

The chariot bumped a little as they passed through a cloud, and the palace came into view. The blue-grey towers with sparkling golden heads overlooked Ponyville and many other villages around Equestria. Her little town seemed smaller and humbler than ever when compared to the intricate twists and turns of architecture that were Celestia's castle. It was built into a mountain side, a rather ingenious way to keep out unwanted earth ponies and unicorns. There were guards stationed around the doors, and their glowing golden armor could have been part of the palace itself, which they had torn off and worn on their heads. Water streamed around the palace, gathering in pools, which were filled with fish of all variety. Trees had been planted of the edge of some of these pools, completing the atmosphere of zen tranquility. It was truly a magnificent sight, both awe-inspiring and calming. Beautiful, and a little bit frightening.

Twilight landed on a deck, protruding from one of the many large towers. She was surprised to find nopony waiting for her. Dismounting the coach, she looked around, searching for some indication of where to go next. There was a splendid view of Canterlot from up here; the city, which was built on top of a mountainside plateau, was the home to Equestria's best and brightest. Despite having lived here for the majority of her life, Twilight still found herself awestruck by its sheer expensiveness. It seemed as if every surface in the city was either blue or gold, and polished to a mirror shine. Ponies, tiny as parasprites, buslted down the uniform city streets. _I used to be one of those ponies. I wonder if Princess Celestia ever used to look down on me from up here._

_Come on, no time for reminiscing. You're late. _She looked back towards the castle, and the large golden door inlaid in the wall. _Let's go! _Past the imposing entranceway, there was a deceptively quaint little living room. It was small and comfortable, and looked like it belonged in the home of a kind old lady rather than the royal palace. There was red wallpaper and carpeting, a small brown coffee table, two red poofy sofas, and even a fire crackling in a grate. The only thing in the entire room to suggest that she was in a castle was the alicorn sitting on one of the coaches.

"Princess!"

"Hello, Twilight Sparkle. Take a seat." Twilight quickly obeyed, occupying the seat opposite her. Princess Celestia looked perfectly at ease. It was odd, the way she didn't look out of place surrounded by this commoner furniture. She might have been a kind old lady herself, had she aged at all since reaching adulthood. _Hard to believe she's a thousand years old. The things she must have seen in her time. _Then, Celestia's voice: "I hear you have a mystery for me." Twilight's mind had inadvertently wandered for a few seconds, and she had to shake it back into order. _Focus!_

"Oh... um, yes. You see..." Twilight began to talk. She talked about seeing Fluttershy for the first time. She talked about seeing her on the street, and their talk. She spoke of Rainbow Dash's odd behavior, and about how she had tried and failed to think what she could be doing, and how she had tried and failed to find Fluttershy again.

Although Twilight had not realized it, she had stood up and begun to pace back and forth. She told how she had looked through piles of books, and how she had seen Fluttershy go to Rainbow Dash's.

"And I have no idea what's going on, and I think it's important to find out, and I can't, and... I'm scared." As she said these last words, her voice cracked. She was suddenly on the brink of tears. _Pull yourself together, Twilight. This is the Princess of Equestria, don't make a fool of yourself. _She continued pacing.

"Twilight... how much have you been sleeping lately?" This question surprised Twilight so much that she forgot her embarrassment. She stopped pacing, and gaped at Celestia.

"Well... not too much. I don't see why that matters right now."

"Mmm... when was the last time you really had a conversation with your friends?"

_"Does it matter?"_

"Yes, I think it does."

"I came here for answers, not to be cross-examined!" Her voice was rising alarmingly fast. _Twilight, this is the Princess of Equestria. Control yourself, you don't want to get banished and locked up in the place you were banished to. _But she couldn't control it.

"You want to know what I think about Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash?"

"Yes."

"I think you should ask them." For the second time, surprise took the place of any other emotion she might have had.

"Ask them?"

"Yes."

"But... I already did. They lied."

"Well, maybe that was because of the way you asked them."

"I'm... not sure that'll work."

"Well, that's all I have to say on the matter." Twilight looked at her for a moment, choosing her words carefully.

"You know what I've noticed? The wise ones are always the least helpful." At this, Celestia laughed.

"We can be infuriating sometimes, can't we? But you _will _understand why I do the things that I do someday."

"Okay. I trust you." It was true.

"Well then, have a good day." The meeting had been disappointingly short, but Twilight recognized the dismissal. She stood, and walked to the door. "Oh, and Twilight?" Twilight turned at the door.

"Yes?"

"For somepony who has dedicated their life to the search for knowledge and truth, you seem to be overlooking a rather large truth right now."

"I... I don't know what that means."

"I didn't expect you to. Good day."

The ride back in the coach seemed much shorter than the first had been. She spent it in thought. _Ask them? How could that help? Maybe I just have to be nicer. I think I should be a bit more understanding. Maybe if I just start a normal conversation and ease into it? Oh, this'll never work. At least, not on Rainbow Dash. Maybe I can get it from Fluttershy?_ By the time she had landed in the town square, she had something of a plan formed. She would get off the coach, go straight to Fluttershy's house, and ask her what was going on. _Gently, though. Don't pry. But try to be resolute. Ooh..._

On the walk to Fluttershy house, she was getting more and more nervous. By the time she reached the bridge that led to her frond lawn, she was considering just giving up. _No! Come on Twilight, you've done harder things than this. Focus! _She steeled herself, and walked right up to the front door. But before she could knock, she heard hushed voices inside. She lowered her hoof and pressed her ear against the door, listening hard. Her heart leapt; the voices were unmistakable. It was Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

"Look, I'm sorry, but it has to be this way."

"But…"

"No buts! I've enjoyed these secret meetings. I really do enjoy spending the night with you. But I need a break. Even if I didn't have to go, I need a break."

"So... is that it then? It's over?"

"Yes. It's over. I'm going to tell the others."

"What? No, you can't!"

"I think we should. There's been enough secrecy."

"But... if I tell them, don't you think they might be mad? We've kept it secret for so long."

"Don't worry, I promise they won't be mad."

"But... but... I still don't want them to know. I just don't feel comfortable with it."

"Come _on_, Fluttershy!" Rainbow was nearly shouting in frustration now. "I know you're doing it out of love, but it's gone far enough. I'm going to tell them right now."

"No! I... I mean, can you please just wait a little bit? Until tomorrow? Pretty please?"

"Fine, until tomorrow. That's it!"

Twilight heard hooves clopping on the wooden floor, and she darted away from the door. She slunk behind a tree, and watched as Rainbow Dash practically kicked the door down. She walked out onto the front yard, bent her legs, and shot into the sky like a bullet. Fluttershy pulled the door closed from inside. Then, all was quiet.

Twilight's mind was full of fog as she slowly walked home. Every now and again, a distant, echoey thought penetrated the fog like a ghost's whisper. _I never... Fluttershy... thought... didn't occur... love. _At this word, images rushed into her mind, most of which she'd rather forget. _Eugh... come on, Twilight, focus! _But that familiar feeling of non-control was creeping over her. She shook herself, and the fog cleared slightly. But it only rolled back again, thicker than ever. The combination of pure shock and fatigue had delivered her thoughts from anywhere she could reach. She reached her tree, and dragged herself inside. It was quite early, but she made a beeline for her bed. _I'll think... in the morning_. And she fell into darkness.

Day Six

When she woke up, it was nearly 2:00 P.M. She got up slowly, the events of yesterday still spinning in her head. She was dazed, but as she began to get a firm grasp on what was going on, she felt a rising happiness in her stomach. _I did it! I solved the mystery! I did it! _At that moment, she wanted to leap for joy. _It's over! I solved it! _She did a little dance, one that she had surely learned from Pinkie Pie. She hopped about the room, her happiness uncontrollable. _I did it! I did it! _Eventually, she settled down. But as she washed and prepared for the day, she was still bursting with elation. And as she walked to her front door, she felt she could take anything the world had to throw at her. But as she stepped out of her house and into the fresh air, she was greeted by a dreadful sight. There were four ponies outside her house. Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Rarity was acting panicky, and Rainbow Dash looked furious. Fluttershy looked even more worried than usual. She was wearing a bandage around one of her hind legs. But Applejack's condition scared her the most. She was bruised, and slightly bloody. She was also wearing a cast, this one around her front right leg. There were several band-aids all over her body.

"Uh... girls?" Everybody looked around at her. Most of them looked relieved, but Rainbow's face contorted with anger.

"You!" Before Twilight had any idea what was going on, Rainbow Dash had pounced on top of her.

"Where... in pony hell... have you been?" Rainbow yelled, as she throttled Twilight. "Been looking for you... for days! Missed my shift!"

"Rainbow!" Applejack stepped forward. "Rainbow, get off!" She looked around at Applejack, and this lapse of concentration allowed Twilight to kick herself free.

"What's wrong with you?"

_"__Me?_" she panted, still visibly furious. "What's wrong with _me? _Nopony's been able to talk to you for days! It's been a disaster! But of course, you probably have no idea what's happened. It's fine, I don't care. _Books come first__,_ right Twilight?" These words stung her.

"I'm sorry, I've been busy. But I'm done now, so I can come out again."

"Oh, just _great! Now _you come out. That would have been helpful a few days ago. Well, it's all over now, so you might as well just go back inside. You weren't here when we needed you, so why should you be here anytime else?"

"Rainbow." Rarity spoke reproachfully. "This isn't all her fault. _You _played a rather large part in it, if I remember correctly."

"Yes, but it was different with me." Twilight had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. She looked around, trying to decide who would be best to ask.

"Rarity. What's going on?" Rarity looked at her. In her eyes, there shone a sadness so deep that Twilight suddenly wondered whether she'd really like to know.

"Pinkie's gone."


	2. Opportunity

Day One

It was three o'clock in the morning, and the doorbell rang. _Right on time, _thought Rainbow Dash as she stood to answer it. _As always. _She pulled the door open, and was greeted by the smiling face of Fluttershy.

"Hi," she said softly, stepping into the doorway of Rainbow's abode. It truly was a magnificent place to live, with rainbow streams running down the walls and slanted pillars littered around as if a tornado had bore them out of the royal palace itself and scattered them here. It wasn't a house. It wasn't even a mansion. It was more like an ancient ruin. Cloud-platforms were scattered about, so that only a Pegasus Pony could traverse the landscape. The layout was conceived with a carelessness that would suggest a creator more natural than ponies. Perhaps, shaken together by an earthquake. This was Rainbow Dash.

"Hi Fluttershy," said Rainbow in her usual carrying voice. She turned and flew into the air. Fluttershy followed gingerly. The moonlight bounced off the rivers of pure color, giving the scene an enchanted look. Sparkles of blue, red and yellow flashed across Rainbow's already multicolored hair and body. Glancing around, she said, "Your flying's getting stronger."

"Oh, thank you. I'm feeling much better."

"You know, there's nopony around for miles. You don't have to whisper."

"Oh… okay." On these words, she tried to raise her voice. But it remained stubbornly gentle. Rainbow laughed.

"Right, I forgot for a moment. All you know how to do is whisper!" _Oh, Fluttershy. You're hopeless. _

They arrived at their destination a little bit later. It was a little cloud platform, with three broken walls, and puffy white ivy running along the floor. There was a chair here, and several cabinets against the walls.

"You're quite an artist. I can't believe you built all this." At this, Rainbow Dash felt a rush of pride, and also affection for the little pink and yellow mare. _She does know how to make somepony feel good about herself. _

"Thanks, but it's nothing much. I just… you know… let my imagination run wild. It's like living in your own fantasies."

"Well, you certainly have a beautiful imagination." Rainbow blushed, causing her face to turn an odd shade of purple.

"Well… thanks." Fluttershy settled down in the chair, and offered one of her hind legs to Rainbow. She was wearing a cast. Rainbow dug her hooves into the cast, and tore it off. A familiar twinge of revulsion crossed her stomach at the sight of her poor friend's injury, but it passed. Fluttershy had a very large cut running down her leg. It was not bleeding, but it was an ugly shade of red, and contrasted horribly with the smooth yellow coat that covered the rest of her body. Rainbow stood, and began digging through the cabinets on the shelves.

"How are you feeling?" Asked Fluttershy, carefully watching the back of Rainbow's head.

"Me? I'm fine. Just a little tired."

"Oh," she began, and just from the tone of her voice Rainbow could tell she'd made a mistake in telling the truth. "Well, if you don't want to keep doing this, we can stop. I can take care of myself. I don't want you to lose sleep on my account."

"No, honestly Fluttershy, I'm fine. I just meant… I have a lot to do at work. I'm happy to help you."

"Okay. I just want to make sure you're not feeling pressured."

"Pressured by you? Of course not! You can barely exert enough pressure to squish a fly!" Seeing the gloomy look creeping into Fluttershy's eyes, Rainbow realized that she'd chosen a bad example. "Not that I approve of squishing flies, or anything. I like flies."

At that moment, she found what she was looking for. Glad for an excuse to break the awkward silence, she picked up in her mouth and walked back over to the chair. It was a small, brown medicine bottle. Rainbow struggled for a minute to get it open - A difficult feat without opposable thumbs – and poured it over Fluttershy's wound. She was prepared for it, but her heart still shook when Fluttershy let out a little squeak of pain.

"Sorry!" She said. _Damn it, Fluttershy, stop being so cute. There's not a creature alive who can hurt you without tearing their soul in half. _"Are you okay?"  
>"Yes, I'm okay."<p>

"Good. Now…" Rainbow stood, and returned to the cabinet. She retrieved a white roll of bandages. Using a conveniently placed pull-tab, Rainbow stuck the beginning of it to Fluttershy's leg, just below the knee. She walked around in circles, holding the bandages in her mouth, covering the wound. She had to wiggle herself underneath the chair in order to accomplish this, but Rainbow Dash was an agile Pegasus, and she did it without flipping Fluttershy over once. Finally, she broke off and admired her work. The bandage was tight and sealed. It was quite professional looking. She had gotten rather good at this after the first month.

"Fluttershy… not that I'm complaining, or anything, but… don't you think it might be time to tell the others?"

"Oh, no! Now is a worse time than when I first got it. Besides, we must be nearly done, so why stop now?"

"Well, I'm not exactly qualified to be doing this. I'm no doctor."

"I'm a doctor. I think that means I'm allowed to give you permission. But… if it's bothering you, then I guess I could find somepony else." Rainbow stared into Fluttershy's eyes. _Fluttershy, I'm not sure you appreciate how few people would do this for you._

"No. If you refuse to get real medical help, I'll do it. But I really think you should. I mean, wouldn't somepony take care of your animals while you were at the hospital?"

"Maybe, but they wouldn't be able to handle it. I'm the only one who knows how to prepare Angel Bunny's salad." _Hopeless. _

"Alright, fine. But I think it would be for your own good."

"I've made my decision. I'm an adult. I can decide things for myself." Surprised at the sudden sternness in her voice, Rainbow backed down.

"Well, I think you're done." _I wouldn't know, since I'm not a damn doctor. _

"Okay, thanks a lot Rainbow. You're really helping me out."

"Yeah, well… no problem." The two ponies stood, and looked each other in the eyes. In Fluttershy's eyes, Rainbow saw something more than her usual gentle spark. There was a fire in her eyes, which gave an intense context to her otherwise benign smile. Then, Fluttershy turned and flew off, toward the front door. Fluttershy could have just hopped off the platform and flew to the ground from there, but courtesy dictates that one should always use the door to a Pegasus Pony's house. When they got to the door, they said their farewells, and Fluttershy strode out into the night. The last Rainbow saw of her was a flash of pink tail and yellow hoof, before both whipped under the cloud and out of view. Rainbow shut the door.

Day Two

Rainbow awoke the next day at 10 o'clock. Since her shift began reasonably late, she was able to pull off these late-night meetings without too much sleep loss. She woke up to the sound of a ringing doorbell. 10 was earlier than she was used to, and she was less than happy to get up quickly and fly to the door. _If that's Fluttershy, I'm gonna punch her lights out, no matter how cute she sounds. _She pulled the door open with her teeth. It was not Fluttershy.

"Hi, Rainbow Dash. I haven't seen you in a while." She was a vision of orange and red. Her mane, permanently ruffled from decades of flying, was brilliantly colored. Streaked with various shades of orange, like something you would see on a poisonous frog. However, her build could not have been less frog-like. She was not a small pony, but she seemed to radiate grace. Her smile was confident and knowing, with a hint of the seductive about it, not unlike Rainbow's. Her wings were currently folded at her sides, but they were large and powerful looking. She was truly a magnificent sight, the kind of pony who you couldn't possibly imagine being wrong about anything. She was in her domain, and it was clear that she would be the victor, no matter what the competition. This was Spitfire.

Rainbow Dash stared for several seconds. This sudden appearance of her lifetime idol at her doorstep was too much for her usually capable brain to process. She sputtered for a moment, and then managed a word.

"H-Hi", was all she could say. Hardly appropriate for one of the most well-known and respected ponies in Equestria, but nothing else came to mind.

"May I come in?" Rainbow's thoughts began to chug along again.

"Of course! Uh, come right in." She stood aside, giving the Pegasus Pony a wide berth, as if afraid to sully Spitfire's impressive aura with her own inadequate one. She walked inside, and looked around.

"Quite a place. Do you ever get lost?"

"Well, no. You see, I built it." Genuine surprise filled Spitfire's face. The look didn't suit her. Without her usual winning smile, her face looked odd. Unnatural.

"Did you? I knew that you were a great flyer, but I had no idea that you were a fantastic architect as well. How long did it take?"

"Well, about two weeks. The hardest part was getting the rainbows to flow right. But I did it." Rainbow was making an active effort not to sound full of herself, but it was difficult. _She thinks I'm a great flyer! _

"Well anyway," she said, walking towards a pillar, "I came here with an offer for you." Rainbow's heart began to beat faster.

"Yes?" Spitfire spread her wings, and rocketed into the sky. Without her suit, she looked like a firework as she streaked upwards, leaving a trail of orange blur behind her. She peaked, and began to float downwards, touching down lightly on top of the leaning pillar. Rainbow was spellbound.

"Well, let's take a look at how you've been occupying yourself for the last year." Rainbow had to come closer to hear her from her perch. "You've won the best young flyer competition in Cloudsdale, at the same time saving three lives and making a Sonic Rainboom for the second time in your life, and the second time in history. Not to mention you were invited to the Grand Galloping Gala. To do that, you have to be either rich, or in Celestia's inner circle. It's clear you're a rising star in Equestria, and we think you deserve to be recognized for it."

"Yes?" Her voice shook a little as she asked. Never one to contain emotion, Rainbow felt like bursting into tears. _Stay cool, Rainbow Dash. You do _not _want to blow this._

"So here's our proposition: How do you want to come a two week aspiring flyer camp? When people want to join the ranks of the Wonderbolts, they have to have done a few things first. This is one of them. It's sort of like a cross between training and an audition. You'll be given food, shelter, and all sorts of entertainment. There'll be rigorous flying courses every day, but if you can do it, you'll have a much better chance of being considered if you apply for the big position. It's pretty far away, off in the countryside. In order to get there on time, you'd have to leave within six days."

"What?" Rainbow interjected, as her surprise got the better of her. "Six days?"

"Well, yes. This only happens once a year. I'm sorry to come to you on such short notice, but… y'know…" Rainbow didn't bother waiting for her to finish her sentence. Her mind was working fast. _If I leave in six days, Fluttershy won't have me to help her. But obviously I can't miss this; it's the chance of a lifetime. I'll just have to find somepony else to do it. _

"Well, of course I'll do it!"

"Excellent. We'll send somepony to get you at 12:00 in the town square. You have six days to pack your things and say your goodbyes." Spitfire leapt lightly from the pillar, and touched down next to Rainbow. "See you then." She turned, and walked out. Rainbow shut the door.

Rainbow thought for a long while. _Who could I ask? Rarity would be no good. Too squeamish. Applejack would insist on calling the hospital. Pinkie Pie? Ha! It'll be a sad day for Equestria when Pinkie Pie becomes a doctor. How about Twilight? She could use her magic to help uncork the bottles. And I think she'd understand about not wanting to go to the hospital. Okay, it's settled then. I'll ask Twilight._

At that moment, there was another ring of the doorbell. Once again finding her relaxation cut short by an unexpected visitor, Rainbow walked to the door with some annoyance. But when she pulled open the door, another surprise awaited her. It was Twilight, floating in Pinkie's balloon.

"Hi Twilight! What're you doing here?"

"I just wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Well, it's about Fluttershy." This was very surprising news. _How weird. I'm thinking about asking Twilight to help take care of Fluttershy, then a few seconds later she shows up asking about it. Well, let's hear what she has to say._

"What about her?"

"I was up late last night reading…" _No surprises there. _"…when I saw something in the distance out the window. It was Fluttershy." _Ah. The game is up. She's been caught. What should I tell her? I guess I'll just play dumb. _"It was about 3 in the morning. Naturally, I'm just curious as to where she might want to go at such a late hour. I haven't asked Fluttershy what she was doing, because I didn't want to pry. But I thought you might be able to shed some light on the situation." Rainbow opened her mouth to deny involvement, when a genuine question occurred to her.

"Why'd you go straight to me?"

"Well, I though since you're both pegasi, maybe you would have the best idea. Y'know, maybe something unicorns wouldn't understand." Rainbow surveyed Twilight, sizing her up. _Twilight's not stupid; she'll know that I'm lying if I pretend I've got no idea what's going on. I could just ask her now, but… I'll wait. I should ask Fluttershy before I go shouting about what's going on. I'm sure Twilight'll understand when I tell her. Besides, if I pique her curiosity, she'll be more likely to say yes._

"Well, I don't know where she goes." Twilight stared at her piercingly. _Yeah, she doesn't buy it. _Rainbow stared back into her eyes, willing her to walk away.

"Okay, thanks anyway." _Good girl._

After Twilight had floated away, Rainbow began to plan. _Okay, first step: Talk to Fluttershy, gain her approval. Step two, find Twilight and ask her. And… that's about it._

This was Rainbow's favorite time of the day: _Time to get moving! _Deciding that the door was too far away, Rainbow exited her house via the more direct route, jumping out the window. As she fell, the wind whistled in her ears. It was like a piece of beloved music, familiar and soothing. It did not intrude upon her thoughts, but made her an individual as she thought. These thoughts were hers, and hers alone, just as nobody would appreciate this music as she did. And at this moment, she fully appreciated the situation. _I am on the consideration list for the Wonderbolts! I am about to spend two weeks taking lessons from them! _However, there are more convenient places to fall into a happy stupor than mid-air, and the joy that was flooding through her nearly killed her as she remembered just in time to spread her wings and avoid collision with the ground. Lucky she was in such a good mood, or this near death experience may have sent her into shock. However, as she lightly touched upon the ground in front of Fluttershy's, she was only amused. _Well, you're certainly not going to impress the Wonderbolts with flying like that. Better practice while you still can. _She knocked on the door, and waited. Nobody home. _Must be in town. _So she took to the air once again, scanning the ground below her for a dash of pink, or a little spot of yellow. As it turned out, Fluttershy was currently on her way home. Rainbow found her pink, but the yellow was nowhere to be seen. _Right, I forgot. She's wearing dresses now. _Rainbow landed a good distance away, and approached on hooves. _If I come crashing down from the sky right next to her, she'll have a heart attack. And that certainly won't help her mission to avoid the hospital. _

"Hi Fluttershy," she said once she was within speaking distance.

"Hi Rainbow, how are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks. I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"We've been found out. Twilight saw you flying out last night."

"I know, she told me. She asked where I was going this morning." _Really? That's good to know; I'm not the only liar._

"And what did you tell her?"

"I just made something up about getting berries for Angel."

"I see. Well, I had a visit this morning."

"Oh, from whom?"

"Spitfire of the Wonderbolts!" Aware that Fluttershy would have no idea who Spitfire was, she tried to convey with her tone that this was a big deal. Fluttershy got the message.

"Oh, congratulations!"

"I'm invited to a two week stay at a flying camp out in the country. But, I'd have to leave in six days to get there."

"Oh… I see. So what are you going to do?"

"Well, I've done some thinking. I've decided it might be good if Twilight took over my duties."

"Twilight? Are you sure?"

"I don't think she'd turn you in if you asked her not to."

"Well. If you think it'd work, I'll do it. I trust you."

"Good, I'll ask her right now. See ya, Fluttershy!"

"Good-bye."

This exchange having gone better than expected, Rainbow trotted off to Twilight's with renewed confidence. However, upon arriving and knocking on the door, she was greeted only by Spike, who informed her that Twilight was out. The next few minutes Rainbow spent flying above town, searching the streets for her friend. But Twilight was nowhere to be found. _Well, I can just ask her tomorrow. I have time. _By the time she made it back home, it was twelve o'clock, nearly time to leave for work. She looked at herself in the mirror, decided that her appearance left no room for improvement, and jumped out the door.

A vigorous, but wholly uneventful day of cloud-clearing passed, and when her shift ended at 8 o'clock, she made a beeline for home. As she settled into bed, she prepared herself for the day ahead. _All you've got to do is find Twilight. Easy. Goodnight, Rainbow. See you in the morning._

Day Three

Rainbow spent her entire day staking out Twilight's house. She had woken up bright and early – Not too difficult for her; she had a rather erratic sleep schedule – and had been waiting outside the library since 7:00. By the time five hours had passed, and it was midday, Rainbow no longer feared pony hell. She had been entertaining herself by flying around in circles, playing tic-tac-toe with herself – Best out of 71, naturally – and bashing her head against a wall. Several times during the day, other ponies stopped by to see her, including Big Mac, Ditzy Doo and some lime green unicorn she'd never spoken to. Several times she knocked on the door, and she'd even shouted herself hoarse through the keyhole. No response. At one point, Spike made the mistake of setting foot outside. Rainbow pounced on him, and pressed her face against his as she bombarded him with questions (an experience many stallions in Ponyville would have gladly received). Spike was terrified, and hid inside the moment she released him.

Never one to give up easily, Rainbow persevered. She even decided to call work and take the day off in order to make sure she'd catch Twilight if she came out. But to no avail; by the time the sun was beginning to set, she'd spent the entire day outside Twilight's house for nothing. _Alright then, Miss I-Have-Better-Things-To-Do-Than-See-My-Friends. I guess I'll have to ask somepony else. I suppose Rarity would be the next best. I'll ask her tomorrow. _As she flew back home, she remembered that tonight Fluttershy would be over again. _Good, it'll be nice to see her._ She set her alarm, and got back into bed once again, only slightly deterred. _Pity I couldn't get Twilight. But it's okay, I still have time. It'll all be fine._

Day Four

_Rarity. I need to find Rarity. _This was the first thing that popped into Rainbow's head as she woke up the next morning. She leapt out of bed, as was soaring toward the door before she had fully woken up. Although she had assuaged the doubts of her conscious mind, her body was still no fully convinced. As she moved, she felt alert, on edge, and every beat of her heart sent this mantra pulsing throughout her body: _You are running out of time. _She lived and breathed this idea, as if it had altered her noticeably, but she couldn't quite pin down how. It was like a second heart, changing the flow of her blood without her knowing it. Although she thought, and her specific actions were performed because of these thoughts, her being was given power by something much more whole and natural: An idea.

Out the door, through the air, and directly toward Carousel Boutique. _Come on, no time to waste._ Rainbow Dash walked up to the door, and knocked. Seemingly in response, a yell of surprise came from the second floor, unmistakably Rarity. A moment later, a purple aura of magic surrounded the doorknob. It twisted, and then the door opened.

Rarity shouted, "Come iiiiinnnn!", back to her usual musical voice. Rainbow strode in, and looked around. Rarity was nowhere to be seen. "Welcome to Carousel Boutique. How may I be of service?"

"Uh, Rarity? It's me, Rainbow Dash."

"Rainbow! Lovely to see you."

"Oh, do you see me? Because I don't see you."

"Ah, touché! I am upstairs at the moment, but if you want to talk with me, I'm sure we can just continue in this manner."

"Well, I'd really rather come up and see you. It's not the sort of thing I want to shout about."

"Oh… well, yes! Of course, come right up!" Rainbow proceeded up the stairs, curious as to what Rarity could be doing. Upon laying eyes on the unicorn, she only half received an answer. Rarity was sitting on the floor, leaning against her bedroom door. The keyhole was stuffed with some kind of fabric, as were the holes around the edges of the door. There was a magazine at her side, and an empty plate.

"Why hello, Rainbow!"

"Hi Rarity. Um… what are you doing?"

"Oh, well, you see… a squirrel has gotten into my boutique. It's trapped in this room. I'm holding the door shut so it can't get out."

"Have you called the exterminators?"

"Yes, they're on their way. Until they arrive, I'm just sitting here."

"Oh. Well, if…"

_Wham!_ The noise of something very heavy falling sounded throughout the house. The door on which Rarity was leaning shook on its hinges. Rarity jumped, but remained in place.

"What…", asked Rainbow, panting from the unexpected shock, "was that?"

"It must have been trying to get out."

"That must be a gigantic squirrel! Are you sure you don't need help?"

"No, no, I'll be fine. Now, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh…" Rainbow wanted to keep talking about the squirrel, but she decided Rarity had the situation well in hand. "I wanted to ask you if you would be interested in doing me a favor."

"Would it involve leaving this house?"

"Well, yes, it would, but not today."

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"Then no can do, darling. I'm sorry, but I'm going to be very busy for a while."

"Oh." This was a problem. _I really hope Applejack can do it. _"Well, okay. Thanks anyway."

"Oh, no trouble at all. Hope it turns out well!" _You and me both, dah-ling. _

"I'm sure it will. And I hope you take care of your squirrel. Bye!"

And so Rainbow departed, now on her way to Applejack's barn. Panic was beginning to squirm inside Rainbow's stomach. _Two down, two to go. Dear Celestia, I hope I don't have to ask Pinkie. In fact, it may be safer if I just don't ask her at all. If Applejack can't do it, then Fluttershy's just going to have to tough it out and let somepony else supervise her bunnies. _She landed next to the barn door, and knocked, hoping as hard as she could.

"Who is it?" Big Mac's deep, slow, thoughtful, easily identifiable voice came out.

"It's Rainbow Dash. I want to talk to Applejack." Rainbow could make out whispers coming from behind the door, and it swung open.

"Applejack!" The room was surprisingly crowded, but Rainbow's eyes leapt directly onto Applejack. She was lying in the center of the room, and she was in a sorry state. Covered with bruises, a cast on one leg and bleeding in quite a few places. "What happened?"

"I can't tell you."

"She hasn't told any of us," said Big Mac. At this, Rainbow looked around. In this small room were Applejack, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, Applebloom, and surprisingly, Fluttershy.

"Oh, hi Fluttershy."

"Hi. Somepony told me that Applejack was hurt, and I rushed over here." At a questioning glance from Applejack, she added, "The news has been spreading rather fast."

"But Applejack!" exclaimed Rainbow, her previous mission forgotten, "you have to tell us what happened! That looks serious."

"I ain't saying nothing. I made a promise."

"To _whom?_"

"I can't tell you that either."

"Applejack," said Big Mac. "You need to go to the hospital."

"No, really Big Mac, I don't have to. I'll be fine."

"You _have _to."

"I can still work! I'm still as good an apple-bucker as ever!"  
>"You really should go, Applejack," piped up Fluttershy. Rainbow glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. She returned the glance, her face showing only concern.<p>

"I'm calling the hospital right now." Big Mac's voice was final. Applejack knew better than to argue. _I wonder if Fluttershy will. _Rainbow gave Fluttershy a stare, trying to catch her eye. Once their eyes met, Rainbow gave a nod toward the door. They walked out together.

"Twilight can't do it, Rarity can't do it, Applejack can't do it, Pinkie _definitely _can't do it; I don't know what to tell you. We're out of options."

"So you really can't get any of them?" Rainbow stared in to Fluttershy's face. She really didn't want to disappoint her, but…

"Fine. I'll give it one more day. If I can find Twilight tomorrow, I'll ask her. But if I can't, you're going to the hospital."

"Alright. Whatever it takes."

"Besides, now you'll have Applejack for company."

"Yes, I suppose that will be nice. Thank you very much Rainbow."

"It's nothing. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good bye!"

The rest of the day was spent eating, and half-heartedly glancing at Twilight's house to see if she had gone out. Nothing. She was more relaxed, now that she was sure Fluttershy wouldn't burst into tears when she had to go, but she still was not pleased with the way it had turned out. She hadn't done her job. She _hated _losing.

Sleep came easily that night.

Day Five

For the fourth day in a row, Rainbow Dash didn't go to work. She was the top cloud-clearing Pegasus, and she knew that the mail ponies would be held up because of her absence, but she didn't really care. _Friends are more important. I'm the element of loyalty, and I will put Fluttershy first. _Rainbow proceeded out the door, and flew down to town. _I'm going to give Twilight one more chance. Let's hope I can find her._

However, finding her turned out not to be the problem. Rainbow had just touched down outside her front door, when it slammed open, sending her flying. _Ouch! What I wouldn't give for Pinkie Sense, sometimes. _As Rainbow staggered to her feet, she caught a glimpse of a purple blur speeding away from her.

"Twilight!" Rainbow shot into the air, calling Twilight's name. "Twilight, wait!"

But she either couldn't hear her or didn't care. Rainbow was an incredibly fast flyer, but Twilight had a good head start, and by the time she reached the town square, Twilight had disappeared into the crowd. Cursing, Rainbow landed in the square and began looking around, but it was hopeless. She was nowhere to be found. _Oh well. I tried._

Rainbow bent her knees, and shot into the sky.

"Rainbow! Rainbow Dash, wait!" She heard a voice calling her name. Confused, she hovered in midair, scanning the street below her. She found Rarity, waving to her desperately from outside Sugarcube Corner. Rainbow floated downwards, and landed next to her.

"Hey Rarity, what's up?"

"Rainbow!" Rarity was acting very odd. She looked panicky, which was not very interesting in and of itself – Rarity was usually a very panicky pony. However, in addition to panicking, she also looked horribly, sickeningly afraid. "What's been going on?"

"What do you mean?" asked a perplexed Rainbow Dash.

"The clouds! They're not being cleared properly!"

"Well, I've been taking the week off. Why do you care…"

"Why have you taken the week off!" Rarity was almost shouting now.

"Well… it was because I wanted to talk to Twilight, and she wouldn't come out of her house. Rarity, what's going on?"

"Twilight! She's doomed us all!"

"Rarity, what are you…" But Rarity was galloping away. Rainbow stared after her, her mouth hanging open. _What in Pony Hell was that about? Probably just dramatic Rarity being dramatic. _But there was something unsettling about the way she had behaved. Something disturbing. Rarity may be dramatic, but something was clearly terrifying her. _Well, there's nothing you can do about it now, Rainbow. Just put it out of your mind._

The rest of the day was spent in relative peace. She could usually be found hanging around the town square, keeping an eye out for Twilight in between errands. For the last couple of days, eating had taken a backseat to Fluttershy's dilemma, so it was very pleasant for her to spend some time just sitting at a restaurant, thinking. Rainbow was not generally the sit-and-think type, but with not much else to do, she was beginning to appreciate its merits. She had hardly thought at all about packing for the flying camp. _There's a lot I haven't thought about. Maybe I'll take tomorrow off as well, make it a round week of vacation. I could use the time to prepare. _

And so the day passed. Once it was getting a little bit later, Rainbow decided to head over to Fluttershy's house, and tell her how things had turned a brief journey, she landed outside, and knocked on the door. Fluttershy answered.

"Oh, hello Rainbow."

"Hi, Fluttershy," she began, and getting straight to the point, continued, "I couldn't get Twilight."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Come in." Rainbow strode into the house, looking around for a place to sit. Her eyes found a staircase, a clock, a rather interesting blue sculpture, and then a couch. Sitting down, she forged onward, focusing on the point she had flown here to discuss.

"So, since nopony can take care of you, you're going to go to a hospital, right?"

"Well… I don't know…"

"Come on, Fluttershy! We agreed on this. I have to go to this flying camp. You're going to the hospital."

"It's just… I'd really rather not."

"Look, I'm sorry, but it has to be this way. This is a once in a lifetime chance for me."

"But…"

"No buts! I've enjoyed these secret meetings. I really do enjoy spending the night with you. But I need a break. Even if I didn't have to leave, I need a break."

"So... is that it then? It's over?"

"Yes. It's over. I'm going to tell the others."

"What? No, you can't!"

"I think we should. There's been enough secrecy."

"But... if I tell them, don't you think they might be mad? We've kept it secret for so long."

"Don't worry, I promise they won't be mad."

"But... but... I still don't want them to know. I just don't feel comfortable with it."

"Come on, Fluttershy!" Rainbow was nearly shouting in frustration now. "I know you're doing it out of love, but it's gone far enough. I'm going to tell them right now."

"No! I... I mean, can you please just wait a little bit? A few hours? Pretty please?"

"Fine, a few hours. That's it!" _What did she expect? If you're going to the hospital, don't you think the others would wonder where you'd gone anyway? You really should give them some credit. _Annoyed, Rainbow stood and walked briskly to the exit. Pushing the door open, she walked out into the yard, and pushed off into the sky. Another journey, and she found herself in her bed.

_Well, the good news is, it's done. This whole Fluttershy drama is over. Now, maybe I can just relax a little bit. _And she drifted off to sleep, feeling stressed, tired, annoyed, but nonetheless happy.

Day Six

Rainbow woke up, called work, and jumped out the window. This was becoming a standard morning for her, something very few people can say. But she wasn't rushing anywhere. She didn't have an urgent agenda to which to adhere. She just had to get breakfast. _Perfect. _

She landed in the town square, which was not yet packed with ponies, and which was occupied by only a few morning joggers, some early commuters, and…

"Rarity!" Rainbow yelled her name, and she turned around. Rainbow trotted up to her. _Maybe now I can find out what happened yesterday. _But the closer she got, the more apparent it was that something was wrong. It was her eyes. Rarity was not crying, but her eyes were… deep. There was a kind of sorrow in them that cannot appear in the eyes of content people. Behind her eyes, there was a kind of natural power, something to which Rainbow could relate. But you could get lost in those eyes, in the depths of their utter despair.

"Rarity…" Rainbow didn't know what to say to her. "What's happened? What's going on?" Nobody could mistake this for drama. _Whatever she's about to say, it's going to be big._

"Pinkie's gone."


	3. Truth

Day One

It was three o'clock in the morning, and Applejack was blinking confusedly.

"Wha…"

"Shhh!" She looked up, still half-asleep. A face came into focus above her. A large, red face.

"Big Mac, what're you doin'?"

"Sis, keep your voice down." Now fully awake, Applejack was beginning to think. _What does he think he's doin', wakin' me up at this hour? _

"What is it?"

"Look, I gotta go somewhere tonight, and I ain't getting back until tomorrow night. I need you to tell Applebloom and Granny Smith that I'm out in town, buyin' something or other."

"And is that true?" Big Mac spoke hesitantly, choosing his words very carefully.

"Well, no. But I'm not doin' anything sneaky, It's just something I'd rather they not know about."

"Well, I dunno, Big Mac."

"Please, sis? It can't hurt nopony."

"Well… maybe." Applejack _really _wasn't in the mood to argue. She was exhausted, and tomorrow promised to be a long day. She hoped that perhaps equivocation would make her desire to return to sleep clear. Unfortunately, avoiding the question did nothing to shorten the conversation.

"Will you or won't you?" Applejack's need to get to sleep conflicted with her need to tell the truth, but she did her best to compromise.

"Probably." Big Mac didn't seem satisfied, but he apparently decided that this was as good as it was going to get.

"Alright. Thanks, AJ."

"Any time. Now, couldja let me get some sleep?"

"Sure thing. Good night."

"Night." When Big Mac had left the room, Applejack fell back onto her pillow. _So, what should I do? _However, trying to make a decision while drifting off to sleep was a futile effort. _I'll decide in the morning._

Day Two

When the day broke, Applejack was already up. She had fallen asleep twice after Big Mac had talked to her, but it didn't seem to take. Eventually, she resignedly got out of bed and went downstairs. When the rest of the house woke up and came down, she was already dressed – i.e., had her hat on – and nearly done with breakfast.

"Mornin', Applejack," said Applebloom, as she came downstairs.

"Mmf," said Applejack, by way of a reply. Her vocal chords were currently dormant, and she was not going to wake them for something as trivial as morning greetings. _'Cause we all know how irritatin' it is to be woken' up before you're ready._

"Hey AJ, do you know where Big Mac went? He ain't in his bed." _Dang it, couldn't you have waited a bit longer? I haven't decided how to handle that issue yet._

"Well…" started Applejack, playing for time. _I shouldn't lie to my sis, but I shouldn't let down Big Mac either. What's more important, honesty or loyalty? Well, I guess loyalty is more Rainbow's area of expertise. I'm the element of honesty, and I'mma do my job. _"I don't know where he is, sis."

"Aw, I thought he mighta told you."

"Well, I'm sure he'll be back soon." _There, _thought Applejack proudly. _I've told the truth, but not completely sold him out. I really don't have a clue where he is. _

"Did he say anything to you about leaving at all?" _Now, here's the bramble patch. I guess I should tell her. I'll just leave out the incriminatin' details. It's not like he's doing anything bad. Unless, of course, it's something so bad he doesn't want to tell me…_

But she put this disquieting notion out of her head. _Naw, he wouldn't do that. Not my brother. _

"Well, he did say somethin' about it. He just said he was goin' out, and he would be back tonight. So no need to worry."

"Oh, that's good."

Applejack finished her breakfast quickly, then headed outside for a day of work. It was a wholly uneventful day, mostly just apple-bucking as usual. However, as the day progressed, her attitude toward Big Mac changed from annoyance to gratitude. _At least he gave me somethin' to think about while I work. I wonder what he could be doing. Maybe there's a lady involved… _Applejack smirked as she rammed her hooves against another tree. _Or maybe he takes ballet classes in secret. Because he's certainly the graceful type._

She went on in this manner for the rest of the day. By the time she had finished her work, she was no nearer figuring it out, but was in much better spirits for it. _I guess I'll ask him in the mornin', _was her final thought as she climbed into bed. The rest was happy darkness.

Day Three

When she woke up, she could immediately tell that Big Mac had returned as promised. This was because her bed was gently bouncing up and down, as it only did when Big Mac was walking on the same floor. She shook her head, with the intention of getting her thoughts straight – This only gave her a headache. She shook the covers off herself, and rolled out of bed. _Ugh! There we go. Surefire way to get yourself ready for the day._ She rolled to her hooves, and clopped to the door. She proceeded down the stairs and to the breakfast table. Big Mac was there, along with Granny Smith and Applebloom.

"Good morning Applejack," said Big Mac rather pointedly.

"Mornin'," replied Applejack, a little bit confused.

"So Big Mac," piped up Applebloom, "where were you yesterday?"

"I was shopping in town. Just running some errands."

"Then why didn't you tell any of us?"

"Well, as I went out the door, I told Applejack," said Big Mac, looking at her with annoyance, "but I suppose you didn't hear me properly, did you?" Applejack couldn't help but feel a little ashamed, but she stood by her decision.

"No, I guess I didn't." They stared each other down for a moment. _Drop it, Mac. _He seemed to read her expression, and looked away.

"Okay. But we was worried about you. Make sure you tell one of us properly next time." Applebloom was completely oblivious to the emotional struggle that was going on next to her.

"Sure thing, sis," said Big Mac, having surrendered to Applejack. The rest of breakfast was a silent affair.

After Applejack was finished with her food, she went outside. She was going to take a break from working the farm today. _Maybe I'll visit Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube Corner. I could pick up some cupcakes while I'm over there – maybe give 'em to Big Mac as an I'm-sorry treat. _So, she started on her way to town. _I could drop by Rarity's place on the way. I've been working a lot lately - we could catch up. But the moment she starts talking about fashion, I'm outta there. _Carousel Boutique was already in sight as these thoughts passed through her mind, so she adjusted her course slightly, trotting along the dirt path that led to her friend's home. And as she got closer, she saw another pony on the trail, coming from the opposite direction. They were clearly headed towards the boutique as well. _Wonder who that is._ She kept walking, and as they came closer together, she began to make out features. A large, purple, intricately styled tail, and a similarly large, purple and intricately styled mane. _That's Rarity! She musta been out. _

"Rarity!" she called out. Rarity began to walk faster, and they came within speaking distance quickly.

"Hello, Applejack." Rarity's tone was dripping with every-day pleasantry, but she was glancing back and forth nervously, as if she was expecting a ninja to leap from the shadows.

"Howdy, Rarity. You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine! Just fine, thank you for asking. How are you? Good? Great. Well, nice catching up with you, I'm sure you have a lot to do. Have a good day!" She drew in huge breaths as she ran into her house and slammed the door. _Huh. That was pretty odd, even for a crazy like her. Somethin' ain't right. _She walked up to the door, and knocked on it hard.

"Rarity, what in Equestria was that about?" No answer. _Well, I guess she doesn't want to talk about fashion at the moment. Ponies sure are acting strange lately. First Big Mac goes sneakin' around, then Rarity goes and… does that. _Applejack knocked again, giving Rarity an extra long time to respond. Then, something happened.

"You!" somebody screamed. Applejack jumped, and looked around to find the source of the shout. She turned, and was hit in the face by something very heavy. She fell to the ground, and got a face full of tried to get to her feet, but something pounced onto her back. She buckled under its weight, and fell back into the dust. She felt a blinding pain in her back leg, and something struck her side. Something like… a hoof. Somebody screamed, and Applejack tried to roll onto her back. But she was hit the face again. She relaxed her muscles, lingering on the edge of consciousness. And then, something slammed loudly, and a heavy weight was lifted from her back. Her entire body was aching, and she couldn't muster the strength to look up. She heard grunts, yells, the sound of rolling in the dust. Then, somebody coughed as if they were choking, and the noises died. The only sound remaining was that of somebody breathing hard. Applejack forced her self up, and swayed on the spot, still light-headed. Then, she turned around.

Pinkie Pie was lying on the ground. She was not moving. Rarity stood, looking over her, with a cut bleeding on her cheek. Then, she looked up, and saw Applejack.

"Go home. Go home, and don't tell anypony about this!" Applejack processed the words slowly. Her mind was slowly returning to its normal speed, as if she had just woken up and was clearing her mind of dreamy fog.

"But… what…"

"I'll tell you later! For now, just go home."

"Okay…"

"You won't tell anypony about this."

"I won't…

"Promise!"

"I promise… I promise I won't tell." Rarity looked her over. As she looked, her ferocity melted into sympathy. She furrowed her brow, looking devastated.

"You're hurt. Ooh, I'm sorry. I didn't want this to happen."

"Did she… why did she do it? Is she dead?"

"Go home, Applejack. I promise I'll explain later." Applejack turned. She didn't know what was happening, but she knew that trusting Rarity had never led her wrong before. She took a step, and immediately collapsed. Her back leg felt broken. Rarity rushed to her side.

"Here, let me…" She offered a hoof to Applejack. She took it, and pulled herself up. Slowly, she began to walk home, holding her injured leg off the ground. She didn't look back.

Day Four

"I told you a hundred times, I ain't tellin'!"

"But sis…"

"I don't want to hear it! I made a promise, and I'm keeping it!" Applejack was lying on a table positioned in the middle of the barn. She was surrounded by family, all of whom were looking at her with great concern. Having just shouted down her older brother, she settled back down, her head resting in her crossed front legs. "You might as well stop asking, 'cause I ain't never, ever gonna tell."

"Whatever you say sis," said Big Mac resignedly. Applejack had walked into the kitchen the previous day with a broken leg, a black eye, and more cuts and bruises than could be counted. Applebloom had screamed, and Granny Smith nearly fainted. Applejack had refused to reveal the source of her injuries, and didn't want to go to the hospital. So Big Mac had dragged a table into the barn, thrown some cushions onto it and created a makeshift bed. A physician had been called to the house, and she had seen to it that most of her cuts were bandaged and a cast was put on her leg. And so, she now lived in the barn, surrounded by family and visiting friends.

Big Mac dropped the issue after this confrontation, but he didn't leave the barn for a moment. Applejack had been the center of attention since she had received her injuries, and it was making her rather uncomfortable. She just lay there in silence with her eyes closed, knowing that everybody in the room was staring at her. It was a relief, then, when the barn doors creaked open, and everybody looked around. Fluttershy was standing in the doorway.

"Hi Fluttershy." _Thank goodness! I was gonnna die of boredom. _

"Oh, my…" Fluttershy looked terrified at the sight of Applejack covered in bandages. "Um, hi. I heard that you got hurt. What happened?" Big Mac winced at the question. Applejack ignored him.

"Sorry, Fluttershy, but I can't tell you." Fluttershy glanced at Big Mac, who shook his head.

"She hasn't told me, either. She hasn't told any of us."

"Ooh…" Fluttershy put on a face that would have been alarming on anybody else, but looked only mildly worrying on her. Panic looked so natural on her face that this was only a small step from the ordinary. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just fine. A doctor came here and patched me up."

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling fine. I can only stop by for a minute, but I just wanted to check up on you. Sorry I can't stay longer." Disappointed but understanding, Appplejack nodded.

"No problem. I'll see you later, Fluttershy." Fluttershy gave Big Mac a meaningful look on her way out.

"Er… Applejack, I think I'd better go too. Somepony has to work the apple fields, you know." _They must think I'm dumber than a box o' rocks. Well, fine. Go talk about me behind my back, I don't care._

"Sure, go ahead. I'll see you later, big brother." Big Mac seemed to be aware of his sister's thoughts, and gave her an appreciative smile by way of thanks.

"See you later, sis." Applejack looked around. Applebloom and Granny Smith had both fallen asleep. She sighed, and laid her head down on her hooves. _It's gonna be a long couple of days. _

At some point, Applejack must have drifted off, because when she next opened her eyes her bedside congregation had been renewed. Big Mac and Fluttershy had returned, and both were sleeping happily. Applebloom and Granny Smith had woken up. The former was pacing around the barn, for lack of anything else to do. Granny Smith was knitting.

"You know, y'all don't have to stay in here if you don't want to. I'll be fine." Applebloom spoke without stopping her pacing. "We want to stay, sis. To keep you company."

"Alright, I just don't want to bore you out of your minds." This conversation had shaken Big Mac and Fluttershy out of their slumber, and they both looked around groggily. If they hadn't woken up then, they certainly would have a moment later, for at that second a loud knocking reverberated around the barn. Big Mac was the first to react.

"Who is it?" he called.

"It's Rainbow Dash. I want to talk to Applejack." Big Mac turned to look at Applejack.

"Should I let her in?" he whispered.

"Of course! She's my friend." He nodded, and opened the door. Rainbow stepped into the barn, and gaped at what was surely an interesting-looking scene.

"Applejack! What happened?" Big Mac rolled his eyes. Again, Applejack ignored him.

"I can't tell you."

"She hasn't told any of us," said Big Mac. At this point, she seemed to notice Applejack's entourage.

"Oh, hi Fluttershy."

"Hi. Somepony told me that Applejack was hurt, and I rushed over here." Applejack looked at her questioningly. Understanding her confusion, she added, "The news has been spreading rather fast." _Huh, I wonder why. Who told everypony? Well, doesn't really matter. Things like this tend to leak out anyways._

"But Applejack! You have to tell us what happened! That looks serious." _Typical Rainbow._

"I ain't saying nothing. I made a promise," said Applejack resolutely.

"To _whom?_"

"I can't tell you that either."

"Applejack," said Big Mac. "You need to go to the hospital." Taken by surprise, Applejack looked at him. _Why's he bringin' that up again? I suppose he thinks I won't say no if Rainbow's around._

"No, really Big Mac, I don't have to. I'll be fine."

"You _have _to."

"I can still work! I'm still as good an apple-bucker as ever!" But even she could tell that the words were almost comical coming from someone who looked like they'd fallen down a flight of stairs into a flaming cactus patch.  
>"You really should go, Applejack," piped up Fluttershy. Applejack glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. <em>Well, I guess I'm outnumbered.<em>

"I'm calling the hospital right now." Big Mac's voice was final. Applejack knew better than to argue. _You win this round, big brother. _

After that, Rainbow and Fluttershy filed out, followed by Big Mac. Applebloom seemed to take this as a sign that it was okay to leave, and headed out after them. Granny Smith left some time after that. She was only on her own for a few minutes, however, because Big Mac returned with two medical ponies, who escorted Applejack to an ambulance. She grumbled a bit on the way to the hospital, but had given up openly fighting it. _Well, I shouldn't be away for long. Then, I can get back to the farm and it'll be work as usual._ She arrived at the hospital, somebody talked at her for a bit, and she was led to her bed. It all felt very quick to Applejack, who was beginning to grow tired. She must have been more tired than she realized, because the moment she had reclined on her comfortable hospital bed, she fell asleep.

Day Five

When she woke up, she had no idea what time it was, and she didn't bother to ask. _It doesn't really matter. I'm just gonna lie here all day and then fall asleep as soon as I can. _This was the most prominent reason she had not wanted to visit the hospital; there would be absolutely nothing to do. Applejack was the kind of pony who was used to constant stimulation, and being isolated in this small, white room was not fun. _Maybe I can convince them to drug me. Y'know, just put me to sleep and wake me up a few weeks later when I can work again. _Again, she didn't bother asking.

Over the course of the day, she had several visitors, most of whom only stayed for a few minutes. Big Mac stopped by, to try to convince her that going to the hospital was a good idea. Applejack had already decided to forgive her brother, and this reminder that she could be at the farm working right now wasn't making her disposition toward him any kindlier, so she shooed him out quickly. Right after Big Mac left, Applebloom and Granny Smith stopped by just to say hello. Apart from these brief moments of escape, Applejack spent the day wallowing in boredom. She entertained herself as well as she could, given her bland surroundings. But when night came, it was happily welcomed by Applejack, who did her best to fall asleep quickly. It was not difficult.

Day Six

When she woke up, it was to the same hospital room. _Only a few dozen days left, AJ. _She sighed, and sat up, stretching. She looked around, not really expecting to find anything worth the exertion of turning her neck. She was correct. _Same old, same old. _But – This wasn't quite true. Something was different today, and Applejack noticed a minute later. _Now what's that racket? It sounds like somepony's shoutin' outside my door. _She listened carefully. Yes, there were definitely raised voices outside. _Now who could that be? _But her question was answered before she could even make a guess. The doors to her room slammed open, and Rarity charged in, followed by a slightly confused looking Rainbow Dash, and several very angry looking nurses.

"You can't just _take _her! She needs to be signed out, and even then she's in no condition to…"

"I don't care!" Rarity bellowed at them. She turned to Applejack. "Applejack! Can you walk?"

"Well…" She was hesitant to answer. She _could _walk, but she wasn't quite sure she wanted to right now. But, she decided to tell the truth and see what happened. "Yeah, I can walk."

"Good! Come with me." Rarity practically dragged Applejack out of bed.

"That's a hurt patient!" shouted a harried nurse. "Be gentle, madam." Rarity was already out the door by the time she finished her reprimand. Applejack, who couldn't gallop as fast as she normally could followed after her with Rainbow.

"Rainbow," she panted, racing down the corridors and receiving several angry looks. "What's going on?"

"Well, I'm not too sure. Rarity just found me and dragged me along after her on her way here. But… something's wrong."

"Really? Thanks Rainbow, I couldn't tell," replied a disappointed and sarcastic Applejack.

Slightly hurt, she responded, "Well, sorry. Ask Rarity, she's the one breaking into hospitals." They passed through the front doors of the hospital, and found themselves outside. Rarity was still a few feet ahead of them.

"Rarity!" Applejack shouted after her. She looked back over her shoulder, but didn't stop running.

"What?" she shouted back.

"What's… going… on?" asked Applejack, breathing heavily. Rarity shouted something back, but Applejack didn't quite catch it. "What?"

"I said," shouted Rarity, "Pinkie's gone!"


	4. Decisions

Day One

It was three o'clock in the morning, and Fluttershy had knocked on the door to Rainbow Dash's place of residence. A few moments later, the door swung open, and she found herself face to face with the smiling, confident, ever-scruffy Pegasus pony herself.

"Hi," Fluttershy said softly, stepping into the doorway of Rainbow's abode. She was now a frequent visitor to this place, but every time she walked through the door she took a moment to look around and marvel at its beauty. It was truly miraculous, particularly by moonlight, when little specks of rainbow colored light danced on the walls. _I wouldn't have guessed Rainbow could make something this wonderful, _she thought. Then, she realized how rude these words sounded inside her head, and scolded herself.

"Hi Fluttershy," said Rainbow in her usual carrying voice. The noise hit Fluttershy's ears hard, and she winced. Rainbow didn't notice. She turned, and took to the sky, with Fluttershy following. She weaved gently between the floating clouds, and around waterfalls of rainbow. Every time she saw one of these, Fluttershy was seized by an urge to fly through it, and cover her face and body in the multicolored liquid. She always resisted, as she didn't want to drip all over her friend's floor.

Fluttershy kept her eyes on Rainbow as they flew. It was clear that flying slow enough to allow Fluttershy to keep up was uncomfortable for her. _But she _is_ being a good sport about it. That's one of the great things about Dashie. _Rainbow turned back to look at her occasionally.

"Your flying's getting stronger," she said. Fluttershy smiled. Case in point.

"Oh, thank you. I'm feeling much better."

"You know, there's nopony around for miles. You don't have to whisper." Dubious, but willing to try for Rainbow Dash, she tried to speak up.

"Oh… okay." Nope, just as quiet as ever.

"Right, I forgot for a moment. All you know how to do is whisper!" Rainbow laughed, and looked forward to ensure she didn't crash into anything. Fluttershy furrowed her brow, and frowned. _She's right, of course. Maybe I should learn to speak up. I remember a year ago, when she tried to teach me to be more assertive. It didn't stick. Well, she tried her best. I suppose I can't blame anypony but myself._

They arrived at their destination a little bit later. Familiar with the proceedings, Fluttershy trotted forwards and sat in the chair that was standing in the middle of the room. She unconsciously rolled some ivy between her back hooves, her body admiring its softness and its unyielding substantiality.

"You're quite an artist. I can't believe you built all this." She looked around as she spoke, taking in the landscape.

"Thanks, but it's nothing much. I just… you know… let my imagination run wild. It's like living in your own fantasies."

"Well, you certainly have a beautiful imagination."

"Well… thanks." Fluttershy glanced back at Rainbow Dash. She was blushing. Fluttershy shifted in her chair, embarrassed. In order to break the tension, she offered one of her hind legs to Rainbow; Wrapped around it was a cast of tightly layered bandage. Rainbow dug her hooves into it and tore it off.

She winced at the sight of the long slash down Fluttershy's leg, but got over her revulsion quickly. It was a familiar sight by now. Turning away, she walked over to the cabinets, which faced the chair. She bent, stuck her head into the one of the cabinets and began looking around. Fluttershy kept her eyes riveted on the back of Rainbow's head, maintaining careful control of her thoughts. _I hope she's getting enough sleep. It must be difficult to wake up at three o'clock every other night. But then again, I do it too, and I'm fine. But maybe Rainbow has to be up early for work._

"How are you feeling?" asked Fluttershy. She closed her eyes while she spoke, as Rainbow's tail was flicking up and down quite distractingly.

"Me? I'm fine. Just a little tired."

"Oh," Fluttershy began, all of her worries confirmed. "Well, it you don't want to keep doing this, we can stop. I can take care of myself. I don't want you to lose sleep on my account."

Fluttershy wasn't sure how she felt about the matter. _I do love spending time with Dashie. And I could use the help._ But on the other hand, spending half an hour every other night flying behind Rainbow, watching Rainbow dig through cabinets, and having Rainbow slither underneath her chair was becoming…_ trying._ _I made a commitment. And I can't afford to break it – it wouldn't be right._ Rainbow's voice cut off her thoughts.

"No, honestly Fluttershy, I'm fine. I just meant… I have a lot to do at work. I'm happy to help you."

"Okay. I just want to make sure you're not feeling pressured."

"Pressured by you? Of course not! You can barely exert enough pressure to squish a fly!" Fluttershy felt a little jab of hurt inside her stomach._ But, she's right, of course. I can't blame her for telling the truth. I probably couldn't crush a fly if I wanted to._ A look of gloom settled upon her face, and Rainbow was quick to notice. She added hastily, "Not that I approve of squishing flies, or anything. I like flies." Fluttershy smiled. _She thinks I was upset about squishing flies. I suppose that's kind of sweet. You can be so silly, Dashie._ She then returned to reality, and scolded herself a third time for the direction her thoughts were taking. Fortunately, Rainbow then found what she was looking for - A small, brown medicine bottle. Rainbow struggled for a minute to get it open – A difficult feat without opposable thumbs – and poured a runny, clear liquid onto Fluttershy's wound. It stung, and Fluttershy let out a little squeak of pain.

"Sorry! Are you okay?" Fluttershy smiled, just a little, at the look of deep concern on Rainbow's face before answering.

"Yes, I'm okay."

"Good. Now…" Rainbow stood, walked over to the cabinet – _Close your eyes!_ – and returned with a roll of bandages. Fluttershy steeled herself – Now came the part she hated. Rainbow stuck the beginning of the roll onto Fluttershy's leg, just below the knee. She slowly wrapped the bandages around Fluttershy's lower leg, protecting the blood-red gash from the elements. She wiggled her body underneath the chair, nearly upturning it many times. She then crawled from between Fluttershy's legs – Fluttershy grimaced as Rainbow's tail brushed her on the way out – and picked up the roll of bandages. And repeat. _Being a unicorn would certainly help,_ thought Fluttershy, who was struggling to keep her wings locked to her sides. _I wouldn't even need Rainbow. But of course, if I didn't have wings, this wound might have been much worse._

Eventually, she finished her wrapping job. It was tight, and sealed, and very professional looking. Once Rainbow had spat the roll out of her mouth, she spoke.

"Fluttershy… not that I'm complaining, or anything, but… don't you think it might be time to tell the others?" Fluttershy's heart jumped. She had made the decision not to tell the others a long time ago. This was because if she told the others, they would make her go to a hospital, and if she had to go to a hospital… no, better it remained a secret.

"Oh, no! Now is a worse time than when I first got it! Besides, we must be nearly done, so why stop now?"

"Well, I'm not exactly qualified to be doing this. I'm no doctor."

"I'm a doctor. I think that means I'm allowed to give you permission. But… if it's bothering you, then I guess I could find somepony else." They stared at each other for a minute. Then, Rainbow cracked.

"No. If you refuse to get real medical help, I'll do it. But I really think you should. I mean, wouldn't somepony take care of your animals while you were at the hospital?" Fluttershy had an answer ready.

"Maybe, but they wouldn't be able to handle it. I'm the only one who knows how to prepare Angel Bunny's salad." Rainbow looked exasperated._ Good, that means she bought it._

"Alright, fine. But I think it would be for your own good." This continuing tone of condescension was wearing on her ability to be polite. _I've made my decision. I'm an adult. I can decide things for myself._

"I've made my decision. I'm an adult. I can decide things for myself." For the first time that night, she spoke without thinking, and so her words echoed her thoughts. She realized what she had said a moment after saying it. Worried that she had offended Rainbow, she waited nervously for a response. Rainbow looked surprised, but not hurt, and she backed down after that.

"Well, I think you're done." Rainbow stood, and Fluttershy followed suit.

"Okay, thanks a lot Rainbow. You're really helping me out." She was relieved to find that submissiveness had returned to her voice._ I hope I didn't upset her. Ooh, I really hope I didn't upset her._

"Yeah, well… no problem." The two ponies stood, and looked each other in the eyes. In Rainbow's eyes, Fluttershy saw something more than her usual intense flare. There was a tranquil satisfaction in her eyes, which gave a knowing context to her otherwise juvenile grin. Rainbow shifted position slightly, bringing her face slightly nearer Fluttershy's. She felt a shiver run down her spine, and her wings began to stir. _Oh dear..._

She broke the connection. Looking away, Fluttershy strode to the end of the platform and jumped off. Rainbow was quick to follow her, and together, they flew back to the front door. Before walking out, she looked over her shoulder. Rainbow was standing a few feet behind her, smiling happily.

"Bye Fluttershy!" she said, waving a hoof.

"Good-bye, Rainbow." She walked out the door, and dived off the edge of the cloud, with a quite un-Fluttershy-ish haste. She flew back home as quickly as she could. _Ooh, Fluttershy. You're such a loudmouth. Rainbow is waking up at three in the morning every other night, just as a favor to you. And how do you repay her? You go and snap at her._ She touched down on her doorstep after only a few minutes of flying, still cursing herself internally.

She opened the door and walked inside briskly. Well, at least I can transfer some of the energy Rainbow gave me onto my next meeting. She proceeded into the bathroom, and checked her condition in the mirror. Fluttershy wasn't really the mirror-gazing type, but it was a necessity when there was a chance you were covered in blood._ Nothing. The medicine's definitely working them. It'll probably be fully healed soon._ After this brief pit stop in her bathroom, Fluttershy walked right back out the door again. The night's adventures were not yet done. She got a running start, and then jumped into the air. It didn't matter that she could barely see. She knew where she was going. It was a very quick flight, and she landed in Applejack's orchard a few minutes later.

This too was a beautiful place. The trees expanded so far around that it was as if there wasn't any civilization for miles. The smell greatly appealed to Fluttershy – it was whole and natural. The cool grass was wonderfully relaxing on her wings, which had been put to more use than they were used to tonight. It even sounded beautiful – a light wind was rustling through the leaves. The noise was loud, but it was not intrusive; it was a calming soundtrack to her thoughts.

"Fluttershy?" Said a low, calm voice. She looked around, and found herself face to face with Big Macintosh. Had it been anybody else, she would have screamed in shock. Instead, she just smiled gently.

"Hi, Mac." Fluttershy was glad to see he had made it – there had been some fear that he wouldn't be able to escape Applejack's supervision. "How did getting out of the house go?"

"Oh, it was fine. AJ was too tired to put up much of a fight." They both laughed for a moment, then trailed off. They stood there, smiling in silence for a moment. They were both fine-tuning their next comments. Big Mac finished first.

"Are you sure you don't want me to help you with your leg?" He asked. Fluttershy, who had not been expecting this, thought carefully about what she was going to say before she said.

"No, I'm sorry Big Mac. But I asked Rainbow to do it before I knew you were available. If I just tell her to stop now, won't she wonder why?"

"I suppose you're right. I'm just not sure it's good for you to be spending so much time with her." Fluttershy's heart quickened.

"Whyever not?" she asked. That was the risk of being with Big Mac – he was disturbingly insightful sometimes.

"Well, it's just… I think she's a fine pony, but… she's not the most polite. I just hope she's not getting on your nerves."

"Oh! Well, no, of course not. We're friends."

"Okay. I'll let you decide. I trust you to decide for yourself." Fluttershy smiled at this. _Big Mac – 1. Dashie – 0._ As much as she liked Rainbow, it was satisfying to know that Big Mac was still the wiser pony. It was satisfying to know she'd made the right choice.

"Thank you. That means a lot to me." They smiled at each other again. _I made the right choice. I know I did. Because Big Mac… he's perfect for me. Quiet, clever, sensitive… this was meant to be._

They didn't say much else to each other that night.

Day Two

Fluttershy woke up groggily next morning. She didn't open her eyes. _Where am I? _She couldn't remember whether or not she'd come home before drifting off. _I hope I'm at home. What if Applejack found me and Big Mac asleep in the orchard? _After a moment's consideration, she decided that the cool softness pressing against her cheek was not grass. She cracked an eye open, and sure enough, she was lying in her own bed. She took her time getting up, still half-asleep as she ate and dressed. Fluttershy only owned three articles of clothing. All of them were dresses and two of them had been acquired in the last few months. She was getting rather tired of them, but they were a necessity; she needed something with which to hide her back legs. By the time she stepped out of the house, she had fully awoken, and was ready to confront the day.

She walked through the town, keeping her destination in mind. _Rarity's. _It was a beautiful day, and she was in no hurry as she meandered down the streets of Ponyville. As she passed by Twilight's tree, she was accosted by Twilight herself. They exchanged pleasantries, completely at ease. However, what had promised to be an innocent chat presented an unwelcome surprise.

"I was up really late last night, and I saw you flying outside my window. What were you doing?"

"Oh!" Fluttershy was taken aback. This had come completely out of the blue; nobody had noticed her nighttime excursions before then, and she had settled into the idea that nobody ever would. However, she had an excuse prepared. "Well, I was making a late-night visit to a berry patch. Angel woke me up and told me he wasn't feeling well, and berries always make him feel better when he's under the weather."

"I see... and you didn't have any at your house?" Twilight sounded uncomfortably suspicious, but Fluttershy kept a cool head.

"Oh no, I was all out."

"Okay, just wondering. I'll see you later!" Fluttershy watched her as she turned and strode off into town. _It's not a big deal, I suppose. But it was such a nice day…. _Fluttershy began to walk once again. Despite this disconcerting encounter with Twilight, the prospect of what awaited her at Rarity's was enough to keep her cheerful. However, twenty minutes later, another distraction presented itself.

"Hi Fluttershy," came a voice from behind her. She turned, and found that Rainbow Dash had come out of absolutely nowhere and was standing behind her, smiling. _I guess she's picking up tips from Pinkie – I'll never understand how that pony gets around so fast._

"Hi Rainbow, how are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks. I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"We've been found out. Twilight saw you flying out last night."

"I know, she told me. She asked where I was going this morning."

"And what did you tell her?"

"I just made something up about getting berries for Angel." This wasn't exactly true – she had had the berry story in her pocket for a long time. But she didn't want to brag.

"I see. Well, I had a visit this morning."

"Oh, from whom?"

"Spitfire of the Wonderbolts!" This meant absolutely nothing to Fluttershy, but she could tell by Rainbow's tone that it was a big deal.

"Oh, congratulations!"

"I'm invited to a two week stay at a flying camp out in the country. But, I'd have to leave in six days to get there."

"Oh… I see. So what are you going to do?" Fluttershy was ready to argue if Rainbow brought up the hospital again, but she didn't have to.

"Well, I've done some thinking. I've decided it might be good if Twilight took over my duties."

"Twilight? Are you sure?" Fluttershy trusted Twilight, but she wouldn't have been her first choice. _But of course, I can't volunteer Big Mac – it'd look suspicious if he were willing to devote every other night to my wellbeing. I suppose not many ponies would do that. But Big Mac would! _She thought these words proudly, but quickly realized the problem with them. _Of course, Rainbow would too. Rainbow has been devoting every other night to me for the last few months. _On a conscious level, this made her uneasy. _But Big Mac's a better fit for me! It's just sense! _However, a primal, uncontrollable beast in her stomach purred at the idea. _All that work… all those nights… just for me. _

"I don't think she'd turn you in if you asked her not to." _Wha? _She shook herself back into reality, and re-joined the conversation.

"Well. If you think it'd work, I'll do it. I trust you."

"Good, I'll ask her right now. See ya Fluttershy!"

"Good-bye." Rainbow trotted off, looking satisfied. Fluttershy just felt confused. When she finally turned onto the road that led to Carousel boutique, Fluttershy could not have been happier to get out of town. These two encounters had already used up more energy than she had been planning on spending all day. But her heart lifted slightly as she saw a little red dot in the distance. As she got closer, it became larger and more defined, until it was clear beyond a doubt who it was. Big Mac was waiting for her.

"Howdy, Fluttershy."

"Hi."

"So, where do you want to go first? Applejack'll be working the farm, so we don't have to worry about her seeing us. And we can tell anypony who asks that we're having a business meeting."

"A business meeting? I'm a doctor and you're a farmer. What business would we have together?" Big Mac waved this small problem aside.

"Maybe you need my apples for an antidote of some sort. It don' matter, nopony will think too much about it." Fluttershy wasn't quite convinced, but she trusted Big Mac enough to go along with it.

"Well," she said, smiling to show her acceptance of the plan, "there's supposed to be a very nice breakfast place, just off town square."

The rest of her day was spent in Big Mac's company. They toured Ponyville, visiting any shops that caught their eye. It really was remarkable how at ease she found herself with Big Mac. She barely had to screen her words – she had nothing to hide from him. _Well, almost nothing. _While Fluttershy was enjoying herself immensely, there was another reason that she had decided to arrange a day out with Big Mac.

_Look at us; we can almost read each other's thoughts. It's like we have… a connection. I don't have any connection with… Rainbow Dash. I've got no clue what she's going to do next. That's justification enough._

_ But maybe, the fact that I need to justify at all means there's something there. After all, I've chosen Big Mac. There's no going back. And yet, I keep thinking about her! _

By the time the sun had begun to set, and they were walking back to Fluttershy's house together, she had had a simply wonderful day; but she was no nearer peace of mind than when she had woken up. _I need proof! Proof that I'm not going to break Big Mac's heart. Proof that I know my own feelings. I need proof… that I'm a good pony._

"I had lovely time, Fluttershy." Fluttershy looked up, and saw Big Mac standing next to her. She then looked around, and realized she was home.

"I had a lovely time too," she said truthfully.

"Well, I should get back home. Applejack and the others'll want to know I'm okay."

"Okay. Goodnight, Mac."

"Goodnight." He leaned over, and gave Fluttershy a gentle kiss on the cheek. Then he turned, and trotted off into the night.

Day Three

The next day, Fluttershy didn't have much to do. This suited her; she needed to think. She spent a good amount of time simply lying on her bed, ignoring the pangs of hunger she felt. She was immersed in her own thoughts, letting her subconscious choose the images that appeared in her head. Her primary goal in all this pondering was deciding who she should be together with; but this didn't really work out. When you give your subconscious full reign, you gain access to a window that looks straight into your heart; however, you don't always see what you want to see. Eventually, she stopped trying, and simply let her memories wash over her.

_She was a young filly, wondering around an earth hospital. Her mother was inside one of the rooms; she never found out why. She had been told to "stay right there, and don't you dare wander off!", and so wandering off became the rebellious pony's first priority. She looked around, dazzled by the bright whiteness all around her. She rounded a corner, and then another corner, becoming completely lost without noticing. Then, she heard shouts; inaudible, but clearly angry. She trotted in the direction of the noise, seized with curiosity. Finally, she rounded another corner, and found two ponies standing there. One was just a filly, about the same age as Fluttershy herself. She was a Pegasus with a light grey coat, and gentle-blonde hair. The other was a full grown earth pony. He had a mad look in his eye, and there was a bead of saliva accumulating at the corner of his mouth._

_ "Well?" he shouted at the little Pegasus. She just backed away, looking terrified. The pony raised a hoof, and struck the filly across her face. She was flipped over backwards, and her head hit the wall hard as she fell. She ceased to move. The large pony looked, first to his right, then to his left, directly at Fluttershy. The normally brave and confident Pegasus quailed under his gaze. He took a step toward her. She tried to run, but her legs seemed locked in place. As a wave of panic broke over her, a procession of medical ponies raced around the corner, and one of them tackled him. He struggled under the attack, and managed to shake the security pony off. Fluttershy did not wait around to see what happened next. As she tore away, tears in her eyes, she took one final look back; and what she saw then would haunt her forever. The large, insane pony being pinned by a guard, and the little grey and yellow filly stirring. She woke slowly, and tried to stand, but she collapsed. And as the doctors crowded around her, her eyes began to drift lazily…. _

_It was a few months back, and she was visiting the hospital for the second time in her life. This was the reason that she had become a doctor- so that she could treat herself. But she was feeling sick, and none of her normal cures were having any effect. So, she flew. She touched down a few feet away from the hospital doors, but before she could get any closer, they slammed open. A light blue mare with a long, grey mane backed out slowly. Several medical ponies walked out after her, but they kept their distance, looking unsure of what to do next. Similarly unsure, Fluttershy stepped backwards to avoid bumping into the light blue pony. At the sound of her footsteps, the pony whipped around. With a familiar rush of panic, Fluttershy realized that she was holding a knife in her mouth._

_ "Um…" Fluttershy said, shrinking under her gaze. The pony growled as they stared at each other, and Fluttershy took a step backwards. "Um…"_

_ The pony leapt forwards, and knocked Fluttershy over. Her face hit the ground hard, and she felt a rush of pain in her leg. She wanted to scream, but her mouth was full of dirt. She struggled to her feet, and flew into the air. She didn't look back, even when a deafening scream pierced the air. As she flew away, she caught a few words being spoken by the medical ponies: 'Unconscious', 'Asylum', and 'Poison'. Her mind was befuddled by the pain, and she could only process one thought: get away. She didn't even notice the trail of blood she was leaving as she flew._

_ It was four nights ago, and she was lying in bed after having returned from her bi-nightly visit. Her eyes were shut tight. Her thoughts were of Rainbow Dash…_

Fluttershy opened her eyes. She wasn't sure what time it was. She didn't really care. She might have fallen asleep at some point – she couldn't tell. Her thoughts had been so vivid that it was as if she was there again; or maybe she had just been dreaming.

Eventually, she mustered the strength to tilt her head and check the clock. It was nearly two-thirty A.M. _I guess I did fall asleep. Well, it's nearly time for my meeting with Dashie. _She stood, and shook herself to ensure that she had fully returned to reality. Then, she walked out the door, and took to the skies. When she arrived at Rainbow's, it was exactly 3:00. She knocked on the door. There was no response. She knocked again – still nothing. _Did she forget? _Rainbow had never forgotten a meeting yet, so Fluttershy knocked one more time on the door. Still nothing. _Well, _she pondered, _I suppose I could just fly in. After all, nothing's stopping me, and I need that medicine. _Since nopony other than her closest friends knew exactly where she lived, Rainbow had no cause to fear burglary. _Alright, I'll do it._

Without Rainbow, the journey to that specific spot of cloud was both boring and confusing. Several times, she got lost and had to search for a rainbow stream that she recognized. But eventually, she spotted little floating room, and landed lightly inside it. She picked out the medicine bottle, and – with some difficulty – tore the cast off. After applying the antidote to herself with a little whimper, the tricky part arrived. While having Rainbow Dash nuzzling her leg for five minutes was pretty bad, she much preferred it to applying the bandage herself. She had to perform fantastic gymnastic feats in order to reach her injury, and wrap the roll around it. Ponies were simply not built for this kind of task.

Finally, she managed to seal it off. It wasn't as professional as Dash's, but it would have to do. She put her materials away, and jumped into the air. The trip back home was relatively quick, and she fell asleep as soon as she touched her bed. Although she had spent almost the entire last twenty-four hours lying in bed, it had felt like a long day.

Day Four

Fluttershy stood in front of the barn door, not sure what to do. _Should I knock first? Or should I just walk in? I suppose I should knock, but what if she's asleep? I guess I'll just open the door slowly. _After this important decision was made, she stepped up to the door and pushed it open. Looking inside, she found Applejack lying on a makeshift bed, her family crowded around her. Applejack looked better than she had imagined, but still terribly worse for wear.

Fortunately, she seemed to be perfectly conscious, and when she spoke, it was with her regular, strong voice.

"Hi Fluttershy," she said with a smile. "Oh, my…." Despite her good spirits, Fluttershy was unnerved to see her friend in such a sorry state. "Um, hi. I heard that you got hurt. What happened?"

"Sorry, Fluttershy, but I can't tell you." Fluttershy glanced at Big Mac, who shook his head.

"She hasn't told me, either. She hasn't told any of us."

"Ooh…" Fluttershy was worried. Partially for the wellbeing of her friend, but also because Applejack's predicament was quite similar to her own – and she didn't like how it was turning out. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just fine. A doctor came here and patched me up." This made Fluttershy think; _Maybe I could get a doctor to come over to my place. Then I wouldn't have to go to the hospital! But, it's different with me. Mine needs treatment every two days – and it's a long way from my place to the hospital. _

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling fine. I can only stop by for a minute, but I just wanted to check up on you. Sorry I can't stay longer." In actuality, she really didn't have anything to do, but she didn't to have a talk with Big Mac. Applejack was visibly disappointed, but she let Fluttershy go without a fuss. On her way out, she stared hard at Big Mac, who understood.

"Er… Applejack, I think I'd better go too. Somepony has to work the apple fields, you know." Applejack didn't look fooled, but she decided not to pick a fight.

"So," said Fluttershy once she and Big Mac had stepped outside the barn. "Did she really not tell you?"

"Nope. She wouldn't say a word."

"It looks like… It looks like she was _attacked." _Big Mac nodded solemnly.

"It does look like that, don'it?"

"But… who would do that? Why would anypony do that?"

"I haven't a clue," said Big Mac sadly. "But whoever it is, apparently they got her to promise not to tell."

They took a little stroll around the orchard, throwing out ideas. But nothing they thought of was remotely realistic. About an hour later, they still had nothing.

"Okay," said Big Mac. "Who else do we know? It mighta been that mail pony, Ditzy Doo." Fluttershy bit her lip. _He has no idea._

"No. It wasn't her. She's not right in the head, but she isn't dangerous. She's a sweet mare." Big Mac was defeated.

"Well, I got nothin' else."

"Me neither. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I'm going to go back and see how Applejack is." He nodded.

"I'll come with ya."

When they got back to the barn, nopony was there except for Applejack, who was fast asleep.

"Huh," said Big Mac. They musta gone in."

"I suppose so. We're on our own."

"…out of your minds." _Wha? _Fluttershy looked around, searching for the speaker. To her horror, it was Applejack who was talking. But she wasn't looking at them. Confused, Fluttershy craned her neck to see what was going on. Granny Smith was knitting in a corner, while Applebloom paced around the room. _I fell asleep! _She looked to her side, and saw Big Mac stirring. _How long have I been out? _She didn't have much time to think, however, as at that moment a loud knocking reverberated through the barn. Big Mac was the first to react.

"Who is it?" he called sleepily.

"It's Rainbow Dash. I want to talk to Applejack." Big Mac turned to look at Applejack.

"Should I let her in?" he whispered.

"Of course! She's my friend." He nodded, and opened the door. Rainbow stepped into the barn, and gaped at what was surely an interesting-looking scene.

"Applejack! What happened?"

"I can't tell you."

"She hasn't told any of us," said Big Mac. At this point, Rainbow seemed to notice Applejack's entourage.

"Oh, hi Fluttershy."

"Hi. Somepony told me that Applejack was hurt, and I rushed over here." Applejack looked at her questioningly. Understanding her confusion, she added, "The news has been spreading rather fast." In truth, she had been told of Applejack's injury by Big Mac, who had sent a letter to her house. Upon reading it, she had rushed over to the barn.

"But Applejack! You have to tell us what happened! That looks serious." _Typical Rainbow._

"I ain't saying nothing. I made a promise," said Applejack resolutely.

"To _whom?_"

"I can't tell you that either."

"Applejack," said Big Mac. "You need to go to the hospital." Taken by surprise, Applejack looked at him.

"No, really Big Mac, I don't have to. I'll be fine."

"You _have _to."

"I can still work! I'm still as good an apple-bucker as ever!"

"You really should go, Applejack," said Fluttershy. She appreciated the irony of the situation, but she spoke only out of concern for Applejack. She could feel Rainbow's eyes on her, and did her best to ignore them. _I'm doing the right thing. I'm a good pony; I'm doing the right thing._

"I'm calling the hospital right now." Big Mac's voice was final. Applejack could tell she had no choice. _Clever. He made sure she couldn't say no by asking her in front of everypony. I'll have to be careful not to let him do that to me. Oh, what am I talking about? I trust Big Mac; he wouldn't do that to me. He promised. He would never lie about something this important. But I would, wouldn't I? How many times have I lied these last few days? But when I do it, it's for good causes. But then again, I'm sure he thinks taking me the hospital is a good cause. Is it? I just have to decide!_

Fluttershy was brought back to reality by the impression of eyes on the back her head. She looked around, and found Rainbow staring at her. Once Fluttershy met her gaze, she gave a little nod towards the door. They made their excuses and filed out. A few minutes later, they were in the middle of the town square, walking towards Fluttershy's house.

"Twilight can't do it, Rarity can't do it, Applejack can't do it, Pinkie _definitely _can't do it; I don't know what to tell you. We're out of options." Rainbow spoke agitatedly.

"So you really can't get any of them?" Guilt tripping was a specialty of Fluttershy's, and she put every ounce of skill she had into this sentence. It seemed to pay off.

"Fine," said Rainbow resignedly. "I'll give it one more day. If I can find Twilight tomorrow, I'll ask her. But if I can't, you're going to the hospital."

"Alright. Whatever it takes."

"Besides, now you'll have Applejack for company."

"Yes, I suppose that will be nice. Thank you very much Rainbow."

"It's nothing. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good bye!"

_Well, I'm definitely not going to the hospital. So if she can't get a hold of Twilight, I'll need to take matters into my own hooves. _Fluttershy barely paid attention to her surroundings as she entered her house, checked on her animals, climbed up a flight of stairs and slid into bed. _I could steal the medicine and run off until the wound closes. I suppose I won't have a choice. _It was at this moment that she regretted ever turning to Rainbow Dash. _These meetings are more trouble than they're worth. _

Fluttershy was perfectly capable of applying the antidote to herself – with some difficulty, yes, but able nonetheless. However, after she had first received the injury, she was bleeding, panicking and flying toward the nearest friend she had: Rainbow Dash. She had arrived at Rainbow's doorstep covered in blood, and on the brink of consciousness. Rainbow had taken her in, laid her down, and flew to the library to find every book on antidotes it contained. After a gruesome analysis, it was determined that the knife had been coated with chimera venom, which was a deadly but slow-acting poison. The antidote, which Fluttershy naturally owned, was quickly retrieved and applied. Once it was certain that she was not at death's door, she and Rainbow arranged their system: every two nights, the antidote would need to be re-applied. So every two nights, they would meet at Rainbow Dash's for re-application.

Fluttershy slept uneasily that night.

Day Five

When Fluttershy awoke, her mind was completely blank. _I suppose that's a good thing. Maybe it means my mind is at peace. Or maybe it means the conflict has reached a standstill. _

She slid out of bed, and immediately wondered why. _It's not like I have anything to do. I suppose I might as well just stay in bed. _However, fate once again made a mockery of her plans by sending someone to ring at the doorbell. _I guess not, then. _She walked over to the door, and pulled it open.

"I brought you a letter!" proclaimed the happy, sing-song voice of Ditzy Doo the mail pony. Fluttershy smiled at her. _Sometimes I envy that girl. She gets so much joy out of giving people letters. It's really very touching._

"Thank you, Ditzy Doo." She took the letter in her hooves, and put it aside. They sat there, staring at each other for a moment.

"Well?" asked Ditzy, "aren't you gonna open it?"

"Oh! Okay." Fluttershy generally used a letter opener for this type of thing, but she didn't want to leave Ditzy hanging, so she tore it open with her teeth. Dumping its contents on the floor, she cast the envelope aside.

"It's… an invitation to birthday party." Ditzy looked expectantly at Fluttershy, who was unsure of what to say.

"Well?" she asked.

"Um… it's very nice."

"Yay!" Ditzy was overjoyed. "I'll see you later! Bye!" Before Fluttershy could respond, Ditzy flew off. Fluttershy sighed, and closed the door.

_Look at her, _she thought to heself as she plodded back to her bed. _Look how happy she is. Maybe it was a good thing that she was attacked. After all, she's got a comfortable job, good friends. Maybe she's happier this way than she would have been normally. _But Fluttershy shook her head, scolding herself. _Look at you. Trying to defend yourself. You stood by and watched as a little filly was beaten, and all you can say is, 'maybe it's better this way?' Pathetic. Worthless._

Ever since that day, she had been unable to enter a hospital without breaking down completely. She acknowledged it herself, and she acknowledged that it was irrational. But she couldn't control it. She had no place in those labyrinthine white corridors.

The rest of the day was spent mostly in her room. Every once in a while, she stepped outside to see if anyone was looking for her. Nobody was. Since she spent about a half an hour every other night gallivanting about with Rainbow Dash, she needed a bit more sleep than usual. She dozed off at one point, and awoke a little bit later with absolutely no idea of what time it was. She was rather bored, but she couldn't think of anything to do that appealed to her. _I don't want to go outside. I don't want to read a book. I don't want to eat anything. I suppose I'll just lie here until inspiration strikes._

But it never did, and she suspected that it never would. Eventually, she just burrowed under her covers and stopped moving. Sleep came easily, hindered only by a slight twinge of pain in her leg…

After a few hours of sleep, Fluttershy was awoken by several sharp, firm knocks on her door. She sat up groggily, and another series of knocks pounded insistently. After gently sliding out of bed and navigating her way down a set of spiral stairs, she interrupted the third burst of knocking by pulling the door ajar. Standing in the entranceway was Rainbow Dash.

"Oh, hello Rainbow."

"Hi, Fluttershy," she began, and getting straight to the point, continued, "I couldn't get Twilight."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Come in." Rainbow strode into the house, looking around for a place to sit. Her eyes found a staircase, a clock, a rather interesting blue sculpture, and then a couch. Rainbow hopped onto it, leaving Fluttershy to stand in the middle of the room, facing her.

"So, since nopony can take care of you, you're going to go to a hospital, right?"

"Well… I don't know…" Fluttershy's mind was in a state of turmoil, but there was one thing of which she was certain. _I can't go back there... I just can't._

"Come on, Fluttershy! We agreed on this. I have to go to this flying camp. You're going to the hospital." She winced at the anger creeping into Rainbow's voice, but remained firm, in her own submissive way.

"It's just… I'd really rather not."

"Look, I'm sorry, but it has to be this way. This is a once in a lifetime chance for me."

"But…"

"No buts! I've enjoyed these secret meetings. I really do enjoy spending the night with you. But I need a break. Even if I didn't have to leave, I need a break."

"So... is that it then? It's over?"

"Yes. It's over. I'm going to tell the others."

"What? No, you can't!"

"I think we should. There's been enough secrecy."

"But... if I tell them, don't you think they might be mad? We've kept it secret for so long."

"Don't worry, I promise they won't be mad."

"But... but... I still don't want them to know. I'm just not comfortable with it." Fluttershy was aware that her lie was dissolving, but Rainbow seemed too overcome with frustration to notice.

"Come on, Fluttershy!" She was nearly shouting in frustration now. "I know you're doing it out of love, but it's gone far enough. I'm going to tell them right now."

"No! I... I mean, can you please just wait a little bit? A few hours? Pretty please?" She threw every ounce of pitiable cuteness she had into this last sentence. Looking directly into Rainbow Dash's eyes, she allowed herself to tear up, just a little bit. Rainbow's resolve visibly wavered.

"Fine, a few hours. That's it!" Rainbow leapt off the couch and stormed out the door without looking back. Fluttershy looked after her as she took off into the sky. Despite getting her way, causing Rainbow so much frustration had been painful. _And of course, tomorrow, she's going to tell everypony about my injury, and they'll make me go to the hospital. I just can't let that happen! I need to do something... but what? Should I just run away? Maybe I could steal the antidote, and live in Whitetail Woods with my animals until I heal. _She bit her lip, partially out of worry, but also to administer punishment to herself for allowing such a thought to cross her mind._ Stealing. Honestly, is there no depth to which you won't sink? _she asked, addressing herself in the second person. _Well, I guess I'll just have to make a break for it when they confront me. It's not the right thing to do, but... I've given up trying to be a good pony.  
><em>

Day Six

Fluttershy awoke to the sound of knocking sounding throughout the house. She sat up, and realized someone was at the door. _Already? Can't I please wake up first? _The attitude behind the knocks provided a clear enough answer: "No you can't, now get your flank down here before I break your door down." She rolled out of bed, and hurried down the stairs. She completely forgot about getting dressed.

She pulled the door open, and came face to face with Rarity.

"Oh, good morning…" she began, but was cut off when Rarity grabbed her arm and dragged her out the door. "Rarity, what are you doing?" She looked around, and saw that Rainbow Dash and Applejack were there as well. "What's going on?

"Well," Applejack began, "apparently…" Rainbow finished her sentence.

"Pinkie's gone."


	5. Loose Ends

Day One

It was three o'clock in the morning, and Rarity was fast asleep.

Day Two

Rarity awoke to complete silence. She was the kind of pony who was a firm believer in the phrase, "Early to bed, early to rise makes you healthy, wealthy and wise." She wasn't particularly interested in wealth or wisdom, but she needed to stay in good condition in order to maintain a healthy sheen in her long, lustrous mane.

She stepped out of bed, and carefully re-tucked the sheets and aligned the pillows via magic. _I may not be able to put on flashy shows like Twilight Sparkle, but I can straighten out a bed faster than any unicorn in Ponyville, _she thought proudly. _Elegance is not leaving a single loose end; neat-and-tidiness is a dying art. What would Equestria do without me? _

She trotted over to her window, and stuck her head into the raw morning air. It was a picturesque scene; grass growing all around, leaving only a small path of dirt untouched. Rolling hills stretched across the background, surely the homes of hundreds of mountain dragons. A lone tree stood next to the dirt path, providing a small patch of shade. _Somepony really should paint this. It would be a downright shame to let all this untouched beauty go to waste._

After breathing in her fill of the scenery, Rarity stepped back inside. She clopped down the stairs, through the boutique and into the kitchen. At this point in her morning routine, she usually stopped for a second to appreciate the silence. But she was having difficulty doing that at the moment. It took her a minute to figure out why. However, it came to her after some intent listening; it was not completely silent. There was a faint tapping sound coming from outside. _Hooves. I wonder who else is awake at this hour. _

She stood on the spot for a moment, deciding whether or not to poke her head out the window and see who it was. However, choice, it seemed, was one of the few luxuries to which Rarity was not entitled. The noise of the hooves peaked, and then died. Whoever it was had stopped right outside her house. There was a brief pause, and then several loud knocks rang through the house. They were deep and resounding, but very quick, as if something heavy was being hit against the door repeatedly. Rarity breathed a sigh of relief. _Only one pony knocks like that. _

"Pinkie! How lovely to see you, do come right in." Pinkie Pie stepped into the boutique, looking troubled. "Would you like some tea, my dear?"

"No thanks, Rarity. I just came by to talk to you." While not exactly upset, Pinkie's voice sounded unusually mellow. Rarity could tell that this was something to be taken seriously.

"Anything, darling, anything. Take a seat." She gestured to a puffy sofa pushed against a wall. Pinkie sat down in it silently – and correctly. Again, unusual for her.

"Well…" Pinkie seemed to be considering how to phrase her next comment. "I was just wondering…" Rarity smiled encouragingly at her. "I was just wondering if you ever hear… ponies talking."

Rarity stared, completely nonplussed. "What do you mean, 'hear ponies talking'?"

Pinkie looked like she was losing her nerve. "Well, I mean… do you ever hear ponies talking, and then you look around, and there's nopony there?"

"You mean, voices in your head?"

"Well, I suppose so." Rarity did not like this at all. _Voices in her head? That's rather disturbing. I mean, I suppose it's not that surprising, coming from Pinkie. The thing that really makes me nervous is that she's worried about it._

"Well…" Now it was Rarity who was choosing her words carefully. "Well, no. Why do you ask?"

"It was this morning. I woke up in the middle of the night, and I heard somepony talking to me. And I looked around, and I couldn't see her. I had no idea where it was coming from."

"What did she say?" Pinkie furrowed her brow, now looking definitely upset.

"I… I don't remember exactly."

"And this is the first time it's ever happened?"

"Well, no. It happened once, a long time ago. About five months, I think. But I was really unhappy when it happened back then. I was in great spirits yesterday."

Rarity began to pace, thinking hard. "But why did you come to me, darling? I think Fluttershy or Twilight would be a bit more familiar with this type of thing. I mean, I'm flattered that you trust me, but this isn't exactly my area of expertise…"

"But that's just it!" exclaimed Pinkie. "I trust you more than Fluttershy or Twilight. I just need some advice, that's all." Feeling very uncomfortable, Rarity walked over to the couch and sat next to Pinkie.

"Well… I'll try to be of assistance. I suppose I'd better visit the library."

"Oh, thank you!" Seeing the familiar look of happiness return to her friend's face was reward enough for Rarity. "Thank you thank you thank you!"

"Nothing at all, Pinkie, nothing at all. Happy to help out a friend." She stood, all thoughts of hunger forgotten. She was almost out the door, when she turned and looked back at her friend. "And Pinkie. I suppose you've figured this out already, but I think it would be a good idea _not _to go telling everypony about this. You wouldn't want to alarm anypony." Pinkie nodded vigorously at this.

"I won't tell a soul, I promise. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" Rarity gave her a smile, satisfied. Pinkie would never stoop to break a Pinkie Swear.

"I'll stop by Sugarcube Corner as soon as I've got some information. Ta-ta for now, Pinkie."

"Bye-a, Rarity!"

When Rarity arrived at Twilight Sparkle's library, the day was officially under way. Still, when she knocked on the door, she was surprised to be greeted, not by Twilight, but by Spike.

"Sorry Rarity, Twilight's out," was his response to her request.

"Really?" _Shouldn't Twilight be… I don't know, reading something?_ "Well, can I come in anyways? I just need to find a book."

"Of course, come right in!" Rarity stepped past the little dragon and into the library. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, thank you," she said as she began to scan the shelves.

"Need help finding a book?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Something to eat?"

"No."

"Do you need-"

"Spike!" She cut him off. He stared up at her with eyes the size of dinner plates. Smiling, she said, "I'm fine, Spike."

He gave a deep bow and backed out of the room, saying, "If you need anything, just give me a shout."

Her mind already on other things, she called back vacantly, "Yes, yes, I will."

Twenty minutes later, she was standing outside Sugarcube Corner. The hunt had gone better than expected, and she was ready to relay her newfound information to Pinkie Pie. She strode through the door and into the bakery, which was nearly empty at this time of day. Mrs. Cake was behind the cash register.

"Hello, madam. I'd like to speak with Pinkie Pie." Mrs. Cake looked disappointed that Rarity had not come to buy sweets, but she led her up the stairs toward Pinkie's room nonetheless.

"Before you see her," said Mrs. Cake outside her door, "you should know that she's in a bit of a funny mood."

Concerned, Rarity asked, "What do you mean, 'funny'?"

"Well, you know her. Never a dull moment with Pinkamina Diane Pie!" She gave a short laugh, and then returned to speaking in hushed tones. "But, I think she's upset about something. She was just muttering to herself, and… you know…" she broke off, uncomfortably. After a moment, she said, "All I'm trying to say is, she may be a bit short with you, or act a bit odd. She's just in one of her moods, so please be patient with her."

Rarity drew herself up, and proclaimed, "Don't worry, madam. I am quite familiar with Pinkie's… many eccentricities. You can count on me."

Satisfied, Mrs. Cake returned downstairs. Rarity turned to the door. Despite her speech of moments ago, she was not entirely sure she wanted to see what was behind it. _Come on, Rarity, pony up! Friendship means being there for your friends when they're at their best, and at their worst. There is nothing through that door that will prevent me from doing as a promised. _And before she could think about the matter any further, she pushed the door open.

Rarity stared. It really was a sight. A large dinner table was turned on its side, facing the door. The window was boarded up, leaving only a crack to look through. Pieces of paper covered in unintelligible scribbles littered the floor.

A cheerful, slightly higher-than-usual voice sang from behind the upturned table. "Who is it?"

"Um… it's Rarity, Pinkie."

"Oh! Thank goodness it's you! I was about to drop the anvil."

"Drop the anvil? Is that some kind of euphemism?"

"Nope. Look up." Rarity did so, and saw a gigantic metal weight hanging above her head.

"Gah!" Rarity leapt out from under it, her heart beating at a mile a minute. She saw that it was held up by a rope that led across the room, supported by metal hooks attached to the ceiling. The other end of the rope was secured behind the upturned table. "_That," _said Rarity, "is dangerous! You might have killed me!"

"No," reassured Pinkie, her head popping up from behind the table. "It's tied really tight. It'll only drop if I want it to drop. Besides, the way you were standing, it would probably have just crushed a rib or two." Clearly under the impression that she had assuaged all of Rarity's doubts, Pinkie stepped out from behind the table, smiling. _Her hair – it's limp. That's only happened once before, and she was angry as all pony hell back then. This is not a good sign._

"Well," said Rarity, her voice as nonchalant as she could make it, "I just came to give you the news."

"News?" asked Pinkie blankly. Then, realization struck. "Oh! News! Okay, let's hear it."

"Do you want the long version or the short version?"

"Just the short one please, I have _a lot _of work to do."

"Well, you need medication." Pinkie looked horror-struck.

"Medication! Have they poisoned me?" Rarity took a moment to answer, deciding which answer would do the least harm. _I suppose I'd better just keep her happy until I can get her onto her meds and we can talk things over. _

"Yes! They have poisoned you, and taking medicine is the only way to help. So, I'll put in an order at the pharmacy, and I'll have it by tomorrow."

"Excellent. And if any of them drop by, I kill them, right?"

"Um… no, I don't think that will be necessary. Maybe you can just lock the door, so they can't get in."

"I guess… but how will you give me the medicine?" This was actually a fair point, so Rarity thought for a moment.

"How about you meet me outside my boutique tomorrow at seven in the morning? I'll give you the antidote there."

"Sounds wonderful! Watch your back on the way home. They're a crafty bunch."

"I will. I promise."

On her way out of the shop, she called to Mrs. Cake, who was standing behind the counter.

"Yes, deary?" She responded.

"If I were you, I would stay out of Pinkie's way until tomorrow afternoon."

"Why? Is she okay?" Rarity hesitated, wondering if it was worth burdening her with the whole story. She decided it wasn't.

"Yes, she's fine. But… try not to let her see you, okay? Or anypony else, for that matter." Mrs. Cake nodded dutifully.

"I won't. Thank you for visiting her. I'm a little bit worried."

Rarity walked back to her house slowly, ignoring the now persistent stabs of hunger. _Tomorrow. She just needs to stay out of trouble until tomorrow. _Still, she was a little bit uneasy about leaving Pinkie alone. _She wouldn't hurt a fly, that girl… but she's not in her right mind. And by the sound of it, anypony who gets in her way is in danger. It's hard enough keeping her out of trouble when she's acting normal. It's just… something's brewing, and it feels dangerous. __She really is a magnificent creature. She seems innocent and harmless, but at times… it just seems like she possesses such power. When she's in a good mood, she uses this power to bring laughs and good times to all. When she's in a bad mood… I just hope the world is ready. A god has been angered… and her name is Pinkamina._

Rarity was so absorbed in her dramatic mental wanderings that she nearly walked past her destination. Upon looking up, she found herself standing outside the door of Quills and Sofas. The manager gave her a hopeful smile through the window, which she returned weakly before turning away. The pharmacy was directly behind her.

Her entrance into the shop was greeted by the tingling of a little silver bell. The walls were lined with shelves, most of which supported thousands of little glass bottles. In the middle of the shop stood another shelf, displaying lines of magazines and newspapers. A large, brown, tired-looking pony stood behind the cash register, his eyes drifting as he stared into space. Rarity trod delicately across the wooden floor, and approached the cashier.

"Sir?" He serenely turned his head toward her, and was slow to respond.

"Yes?" His voice was slow, and even.

"I'm here to pick up some medication, for Pinkamena Diane Pie." Again, he was slow to respond.

"Do you have a prescription?" Rarity pursed her lips, thinking. _I suppose this was unavoidable. I don't have time to procure a prescription; and besides, Pinkie wouldn't cooperate anyway. So, how do I get out of this? _Rarity looked directly into the eyes of the desk pony, who was waiting patiently. _I've got one shot at this. Come on, Rarity. You've seen Twilight do it plenty of times. _Her horn began to emit a faint aura of light. _Focus! _Rarity concentrated as hard as she could on what she needed. _I need to get inside his head. _The pony blinked, as his memory shifted about. _You've seen my prescription. It's completely legitimate. _He blinked again, as something clicked into place behind his eyes.

"I see. Well, I can have it to you by tomorrow. We have a shipment coming in overnight." Relieved, Rarity let go.

"That sounds absolutely lovely," she said, every word dripping with charm. "Thank you very much, sir." Looking a little bit confused, the desk pony just nodded. With a winking smile, Rarity turned and left the shop.

Day Three

Rarity woke up and skipped her morning routine. She had eaten an excessively large dinner last night, and had no desire to partake in her usual dainty breakfast. It was six thirty in the morning, early even for her. But she had work to do.

She raced downstairs and through the door, out onto the dirt path leading to Ponyville square. She didn't exactly need to run, but being late to her meeting with Pinkie would certainly not be a good idea. She arrived at her destination only five minutes later. The pharmacy was empty at this time of day, which suited her nicely in more ways than one. _There'll be no line at all! And I'm sure I must look a mess, having run all the way here. Lucky nopony's around to see._

She walked up to the counter, which was stationed with a large, tired looking pony.

"Excuse me, sir?" He looked up, and caught sight of Rarity. He smiled and nodded in recognition.

"You here to pick up the order you put in yesterday?" He seemed to have decided that there was nothing suspicious about her. Rarity nodded. "Well, I'm sorry, but it's not in yet." She stared at him, outraged.

"But I was promised that it would be here by morning!"

"It was going to be," he said, completely unfazed by the unicorn shouting at him. "But it got delayed. There's been a hiccup in the cloud-clearing department, and it couldn't get through."

"But…" Rarity was getting desperate. _I knew it! I knew it wouldn't be this easy! Not when Pinkie's involved. _"Surely you have a backup supply, or something. I really need it now."

"I'm sorry," said the counter pony, in his maddeningly calm voice. "You'll just have to wait. It should be here by tomorrow morning."

Rarity was tempted to continue shouting at him, but time was ticking on. _I have to meet up with Pinkie, anyways. I've just got to keep her out of trouble for one more day. What could possibly go wrong? _As she sprinted back home, her mind reeled with ways this could go wrong.

As she neared her home, she slowed to a walk. Pinkie was due to arrive at any minute. And when she was nearly at the door, she spotted somebody coming towards her from the opposite direction. _Good. At the very least, she made it here. _But fate would not grant her even this small victory; for as the figure got nearer, it was increasingly obvious that it was not Pinkie. It was Applejack.

"Rarity!" she called out. Rarity began to walk faster, and they came within speaking distance quickly. _Why now? Why today, of all days? I need to get her out of here, fast._

"Hello, Applejack." She managed her tone carefully, trying to sound busy, but not overly rude. She glanced about. _No sign on Pinkie_.

"Howdy, Rarity. You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine! Just fine, thank you for asking. How are you? Good? Great. Well, nice catching up with you, I'm sure you have a lot to do. Have a good day!" She ran to her door, and slammed it shut. Panting, she turned the lock and charged upstairs. Only once she had entered the safety of her room did she take a moment to catch her breath. She heard Applejack shouting something, and knocking hard on the door. _Please, _she begged to herself. _Please, just turn around and go home. _Another series of knocks hit the door, which Rarity ignored as hard as she could.

She waited, but there were no more knocks. _Okay, she's given up. Now we've just got to wait for Pinkie._ Rarity proceeded downstairs and pushed the door open, praying that she would see Pinkie sitting calmly outside, waiting for her.

Rarity screamed. Applejack was lying facedown in the dirt, bleeding copiously. Pinkie was sitting on top of her, her teeth digging into Applejack's shoulder. "Pinkie!"

Rarity dived forward, and knocked Pinkie to the ground. She flailed about, landing a sharp jab on Rarity's cheek. It stung, but she maintained her focus. She wrapped an arm around Pinkie's throat, and held her against the dirt. She sputtered, and tried to pry Rarity's arm away, but to no avail. Her eyes bulged, and her whole body convulsed under Rarity's. Then, she was still.

Rarity panted for a moment on top of Pinkie's unmoving body. _She's worse than I thought. I'll have to keep her locked up. _She dismounted the unconscious pony, and turned to look over at Applejack. _Dear Celestia. _Applejack was stirring slightly. One of her back legs was bent at a horrible angle, and her shoulder was dripping with blood where Pinkie had bit it. She was covered in cuts, and looked horribly dazed. She slowly rose to her feet, swaying a little. _She can't know about Pinkie._ _If it gets out that she's attacking ponies, there'll be a lot of paperwork to go through._

"Go home. Go home, and don't tell anypony about this!" Applejack just stared blankly.

"But… what…"

"I'll tell you later! For now, just go home." She winced at the harshness in her own words, but she steadied her resolve. _There'll be time for sympathy later._

"Okay…"

"You won't tell anypony about this."

"I won't…"

"Promise!"

"I promise… I promise I won't tell."

Rarity looked her over. As she looked, her ferocity melted into sympathy. She furrowed her brow, looking devastated.

"You're hurt. Ooh, I'm sorry. I didn't want this to happen."

"Did she… why did she do it? Is she dead?"

"Go home, Applejack. I promise I'll explain later." _Applejack. You've always been a stubborn one. But please, please, just trust me now. _Applejack nodded, and turned. She took one step towards home, and crumpled.

"Here, let me…" Rarity offered a hoof to Applejack. She took it, and pulled herself up. Slowly, she began to walk home, holding her injured leg off the ground. She didn't look back. Rarity stared after her, guilt swimming about in her stomach. _This is my fault. I shouldn't have let Pinkie out of my sight for a moment. Well, I won't make that mistake again. If I hadn't intervened, Applejack might have been killed. As is, she'll probably need the hospital. I wish I could walk with her, but I have work to do. _

Rarity hoisted Pinkie up onto her back, and carried her inside. Several times, she nearly tripped on her dangling tail and mane as she brought her up the stairs. Pinkie was lighter than Rarity would have expected, considering the fact that she subscribed to the 'impulse eater' school of thought, but her skin felt unnervingly cold against Rarity's, like that of a corpse. Had she not felt a steady pulse beating against her back, Rarity might have thought her dead.

She let Pinkie fall in a heap in the middle of her bedroom. _I guess this'll have to do. _She worked quickly, boarding up the window with wooden planks and removing all sharp objects from the room. She had until Pinkie woke up to turn this fashion designer's bedroom into an asylum cell.

When the room looked suitably barren, Rarity shut the door. Unfortunately, there was no way to lock it from the outside. _Well… I guess I have no choice, then. _She ran downstairs to retrieve some supplies: a magazine, a plate of food and a roll of fabric. When she returned upstairs, she got to work immediately, ripping strips of fabric off and stuffing them into the cracks around the edge of the door and into the keyhole. Once she sealing job was complete, she took a step back to admire her work. _Well, that's not bad. At the very least, it will muffle the sound. _Finally, her preparations complete, she settled down in front of the door. It was going to be a long wait.

Pinkie came to some time around three P.M. Rarity hoped that she wouldn't make a fuss, but as someone who had known Pinkie for years, she knew that this wasn't remotely likely. Sure enough, the attacks began at four o'clock. The first one took her completely by surprise, and she was nearly thrown away from the door. Quickly regaining her composure, Rarity dug her hooves into the carpet and braced herself. Pinkie slammed against the door again, and it jumped on its hinges. _I hope, _thought Rarity as she gritted her teeth against the impact, _she gets tired soon. I'll never be able to read my magazine with all this ruckus. _Pinkie was unrelenting, beating against Rarity's barricade for at least half an hour. Rarity lost track of the time after that. Eventually, she seemed to give up, and Rarity took the opportunity to eat the lunch she had prepared.

For the rest of day, Pinkie stopped trying to break the door down. However, little scraping and banging sounds kept coming from inside, which were beginning to make Rarity nervous. _What in Equestria is she doing in there? Probably building a weapon of mass destruction out of a toothpick and the dust bunnies under my bed. I'd check on her, but I don't think it'd be a good idea to open a dialogue at this stage. I've just got to last until morning. _Unfortunately, this presented a conundrum: how to keep the door closed overnight. _I suppose she'll fall asleep at some point. But I can't risk letting my guard down for a minute. I don't have anything to block the door with, so that idea's out. I guess my only choice is to sit here all night. If I drift off for a moment, she'll get out. It's time to employ some of my legendary willpower; I'm going to have to stay up until morning. _

It turned out to be a good decision. At around three in the morning, Pinkie threw herself at the door once again. Rarity, who had been slowly losing consciousness, was jolted back to full awareness. Pinkie had clearly been trying to catch her napping, and she went back to sitting in silence after this failed attempt. Rarity was bored out of her mind, and several times had to shake herself to keep from dozing off. _Keep it together, Rarity. Just until morning. _However, another issue presented itself at this thought: _how am I going to collect the shipment? If I leave to get it, Pinkie will escape. _This problem was most unwelcome, as problems are wont to be, and so she put it out of her mind. _I'll think about it when the time comes. Right now, I have to devote my full attention to keeping the little maniac in her cage._

_ Now now, Rarity, _she chided herself. _She's still your friend. And as soon as she's on her meds, that'll be the end of this. So, put up with this for a little bit longer. _Her only indication that time was moving on was that her house was slowly getting brighter. _See? It might have been worse, _thought Rarity weakly as she watched the sun rise above the horizon. But she was faint with both exhaustion and hunger. _I really need to get out of here soon. _

Day Four

_Wham! _Rarity jumped in surprise, and pressed herself against the door. She wasn't sure if she had fallen asleep or not, but she was certainly awake now. Pinkie had made another bid for freedom, and she had very nearly succeeded. Before she could fully get a hold on her thoughts, there was another _wham, _followed by knocking. _ Oh no, _she groaned internally._ Somepony's at the door. This won't be easy. _

Rarity closed her eyes, and a purple glow appeared around her horn. She willed the doorknob to turn, and a click coming from downstairs told her that it had.

"Come iiiiinnnn!" she shouted. "Welcome to Carousel Boutique. How may I be of service?" A voice called back to her from the stairwell.

"Uh, Rarity? It's me, Rainbow Dash." _Good, I won't have to deal with a customer._

"Rainbow! Lovely to see you."

"Oh, do you see me? Because I don't see you."

"Ah, touché! I am upstairs at the moment, but if you want to talk with me, I'm sure we can just continue in this manner."

"Well, I'd really rather come up and see you. It's not the sort of thing I want to shout about." _I'm not sure I should let her up here… but I don't have much choice, do I?_

"Oh… well, yes! Of course, come right up!" Footsteps came from downstairs, and a moment later Rainbow's multicolored head poked around a corner.

"Why hello, Rainbow!"

"Hi Rarity. Um… what are you doing?" Rarity had an answer prepared.

"Oh, well, you see, a squirrel has gotten into my boutique. It's trapped in this room. I'm holding the door shut so it can't get out."

Rainbow looked suitably taken in. "Have you called the exterminators?"

"Yes, they're on their way. Until they get here, I'm just sitting here."

"Oh. Well, if…"

_Wham!_ The noise of something very heavy falling sounded throughout the house, and the door on which Rarity was leaning shook on its hinges. Rarity jumped, but remained in place.

"What…", asked Rainbow, panting from the unexpected shock, "was that?"

"It must have been trying to get out."

"That must be a gigantic squirrel! Are you sure you don't need help?"

"No, no, I'll be fine. Now, what did you want to talk to me about?" Rarity needed to move the conversation along. _I have to get her out of here_ _before she starts getting suspicious. Although… _a new thought struck her. _Maybe I could ask her to pick up the medication from the pharmacy. But… no, that wouldn't work. She'd want to know why I need them. I should keep this whole matter as quiet as possible._

"Oh… I wanted to ask you if you would be interested in doing me a favor."

"Would it involve leaving this house?"

"Well, yes, it would, but not today."

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"Then no can do, darling. I'm sorry, but I'm going to be very busy for a while." _Of course, that's not exactly true, is it? But still, I'd rather not commit to anything until this whole Pinkie situation had been wrapped up, neat and tidy. Remember: No loose ends._

"Oh. Well, okay. Thanks anyway."

"Oh, no trouble at all. Hope it turns out well!"

"I'm sure it will. And I hope you take care of your squirrel." _You and me both, darling. _

Rainbow said good-bye, and took off down the stairs. Rarity watched her go, wondering whether she'd made the right choice. _But no – it's better this way. I'll talk it over with Pinkie once she stops trying to bludgeon me to death. _

_So! What _are_ we going to do? If I run like all pony hell, getting the medication will take about ten minutes. I just need to make sure she won't try to escape for ten minutes. I suppose it isn't likely that she's fallen asleep since ninety seconds ago. _Rarity pulled a little wad of fabric out of the keyhole, and stuck her eye right up to it. She could see Pinkie, who was lying in her bed. _She'd better not _do _anything to those sheets – I have to sleep there! _Pinkie wasn't moving. Her eyes were closed, but the rest of her face was veiled underneath her long, flowing mane. _The moment I walk into that room, her eyes are going to open suddenly. I just know it. Standard horror movie style: See murderous antagonist. Approach murderous antagonist, thinking she's asleep. Then, bam! Insides all over the wall behind you. _

Rarity had many undesirable qualities. She was sarcastic, self-confident, proud and disdainful. But she wasn't a coward. She removed all of the fabric from the doorframe, moving quickly to ensure she didn't have a sudden change of heart. As soon as she had finished, she took a deep breath, and pulled open the door.

Pinkie didn't stir. Rarity approached cautiously, ready to pounce if she showed any signs of dramatic movement. Rarity leaned in close, her face right next to Pinkie's. She could feel her charge's lukewarm breath on her cheek. It was slow, and rhythmic. _I don't trust her. I really don't trust her. _But she wasn't sure she had a choice. Rarity turned away, and slowly walked to the door. When she was nearly out, she whipped around. Pinkie was still in bed, just as she had been before. Rarity ran.

It felt like there was a buzz saw slicing at the inside of her chest as she sprinted toward town. Having gone from sitting in front of a door all night to running as fast as she could remember was dizzying, and she had to pause for a few seconds outside the pharmacy for fear of blacking out. For a moment, the idea of succumbing to the darkness gathering at the edges of her vision was tempting. _Maybe… I should just fall asleep… let somepony else handle it… haven't slept all night… deserve a break… but no. Keep it together Rarity, and you can end this before it begins. No loose ends._

Five minutes later, she was moving through her front door by way of a jerky, non-committal cross between a run and a walk. A run would move her fast. A walk would move her quietly. She needed to go fast, quietly. However, it proved not to matter. She was holding the little bottle of pills in her mouth as she climbed the stairs. _Well, the time has come. Time to find out if this is the end of the book, or just the end of chapter one. Here we go. _Rarity's hoof found the second landing, and she pulled herself up. She walked down the hallway to where the open door was embedded in the wall, and she felt a mounting excitement building in her chest. _Let's see it then. _She rounded the corner, and looked into her room.

_ I couldn't tell you why I expected anything different, even for a moment. _Rarity's bed was empty._ I suppose it isn't like likely that she's under the covers._ However, as she stepped into the room and looked about, her dryness began to chill over into fear. _That was irresponsible. I thought that maybe, just maybe, things would go my way. But now she's loose, and I have to find her before she does some real damage. _Rarity was exhausted, but she had work to do. _She can't have gone too far; she's probably somewhere in town. All I have to do is find her. _

She packed quickly, filling her saddlebags with water, snacks, and Pinkie's medication. _I'll search the entire town; she has to be somewhere. And once I find her, maybe I can finally get some sleep. _When she reached town, everyone was going about their days as usual. _If she makes a scene, somepony may get hurt; and that somepony may be me. But if she doesn't, finding her could take all day. Well, I've got to start somewhere. So… Sugarcube Corner would be a natural first choice. Onward!_

Upon entering the bakery, she found Mrs. Cake standing behind the cash register.

"Excuse me, madam?" She looked up, and smiled at the sight of Rarity standing in the door.

"Hello, Rarity. Are you here to see Pinkie?" Her heart leapt. _I didn't expect it to be this easy._

"Yes, I am. Is she in?"

"I'm sorry, you just missed her. She came in a few minutes ago, but she left quickly. I don't know where she is."

"Alright." She wasn't too disappointed, as she had never really gotten her hopes up in the first place. "Do you happen to know if she took the balloon?"

"No, it's right out back."

"Okay. Thank you very much." Rarity left the shop.

_So, she's not at Rainbow's and she's not at Sugarcube Corner. Where else might she have run off to?_

For the next few hours, Rarity searched everywhere in Ponyville she could think of. As the day wore on, she became increasingly panicky, increasingly exhausted and therefore increasingly sloppy. By the time it was nearing the end of the day, Rarity was stumbling. She had started with Applejack's barn, a likely choice for Pinkie if she wanted to, "Tie up a loose end". Upon entering, she found Applejack lying on a makeshift bed in the middle of the room, looking noticeably scraped up but well bandaged. Fluttershy and Big Mac were sleeping next to each other on the floor. However, the path of destruction that usually followed Pinkie around was absent.

After that, Rarity ran to Twilight's tree, and a quick glance through a window showed that all of the books in her library were still on their shelves. _Nope, Pinkie hasn't been here. _After that, she checked Fluttershy's house, and then the town square, and then Lotus and Aloe's. But there was absolutely no sign of Pinkie anywhere. _Stay calm, Rarity. At least nopony's died yet. As far as I know. _But staying calm wasn't exactly Rarity's forte, and she felt little parasprites dancing in her stomach as she checked more and more places. Pinkie was nowhere to be found.

_I've done it. I've really done it now. _Rarity trudged back to her home as soon as the sun had set, deciding that no more progress was going to be made tonight. _I'll just have to tell them. This has gotten out of my hooves. If Pinkie's on the loose, and she's prepared to attack somepony else, I need to let my friends know. _Rarity opened her front door, barely even caring that it was strangely unlocked. She was just too tired. A night of no sleep and a day of sprinting around town had taken its toll on the pathetic, saggy pony whose reflection danced on a piece of broken glass lying on the floor. _I just need some rest. _She plodded up the stairs, and was heartened by the sight of her bedroom door. _I'll think about it more once I get some sleep… too tired right now. _She yawned loudly, closing her eyes as she rounded the corner into the familiar room. When she opened them again, all that mattered was that her bed was lying in front of her. And as she approached its inviting warmth, she heard the sound of a door slamming shut behind her. She turned around.

Pinkamina Diane Pie was standing in the doorway. Rarity blacked out.

Day Five

Rarity woke up in the last place she would have expected: her own bed. _Well, I'm not dead. That's nice, I suppose. _Rarity was in no rush to sit up. _Might as well savor this comfort while I can. _Eventually, she decided that it was time to get back to work. She sat up slowly, and looked around her room. Her door was still closed and her window still boarded up. She got out of bed, and gave the door a tentative push. It swung open.

When Rarity had searched her house thoroughly, she decided that Pinkie definitely wasn't still there. _She must have taken off. Awful considerate of her to tuck me in, though. Actually, kind of creepy. Glad I was unconscious. _

After eating a hasty breakfast, she walked out her front door. It was clearly late in the morning; the sun was shining bright in the sky, and birds were chirping from the path-side tree. It didn't look like anybody was around.

_Wham! _Rarity was knocked off her hooves, and tumbled around in the dirt. She recovered quickly, and jumped to her feet, expecting to see a flash of pink hoof at any moment. However, upon looking around, she found not a pink pony, but a gray pegasus shaking herself off.

"Sor-ry!" she sang, wiping dirt out of her eyes. Rarity gave a little grunt by way of response, relaxing slightly. "I brought you a letter!"

The pegasus, who was holding a slightly battered letter in her mouth, trotted over to Rarity. She looked like a dog retrieving a bone for its master, as she spit the package at her feet. Rarity picked it up without a word, and walked back toward her house.

"Doncha wanna open it?" asked the expectant pegasus.

"Go suck an egg, Derpy."

"Don't call me Derpy." Taken completely by surprise, Rarity looked over her shoulder. Ditzy Doo wasn't angry, but her mis-matched eyes seemed to have grown twice as large. "People always call me Derpy. I don't like it. My name's Ditzy."

"Excuse me. Go suck an egg, _Ditzy. _I'm rather busy right now." And with that, Rarity proceeded inside.

When people talk about the five steps of grief, they are generally referring to Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and finally Acceptance. However, Rarity had a slightly different process. She began with Dry Wit, then moved on to Rational Thinking, and then descended into Panic, then seamlessly into Anger, and then came around to Dry Wit again. Acceptance was not necessary, as whatever the problem was generally fixed itself within a few days. At that point, they would all have a group hug and everything would be back to normal, ready for the next big adventure in a few more days. At the moment, Rarity was moving out of Panic and had arrived at Anger.

"Menace to society…" grumbled Rarity as she washed her hair for the third time. "Decent people trying to live their lives… watch where she's going…. Dumb dirt!" When she finally decided that her hair was presentable (i.e., glossier than a newly washed car), she was ready to continue her hunt.

_ I suppose it's a good sign that she didn't kill me, _thought Rarity as she walked down the path toward town. _Maybe it means she isn't prepared to kill anypony. Or maybe it means she just won't kill _me. At this thought, she was reminded of what was at stake, and began to trot faster. Panic was beginning to flicker within her again, as it often did at this point. _I'll give the town a once-over, and if I still can't find her, I'll get help. That's reasonable. _

However, Rarity knew it was hopeless. She walked around town, looking down all of the side alleys in the hopes of seeing Pinkie lurking in the shadows. But nothing came of it, and Rarity began to panic once again. _She got into my house, _she thought as she ran around town, looking about wildly. _If she got into my house, she can get into anypony else's. Nopony's safe anymore. _

_ This would never have happened if the cloud-clearing department had done their job. When this is over, I'm gonna give Rainbow a piece of my mind! _And that moment, something caught her eye in the middle of the town square. Rainbow Dash was crouching on the ground, about to rocket into the air.

"Rainbow! Rainbow Dash, wait!" Rainbow flew upwards, but heard her cry and hovered in the air, looking around. She spotted Rarity, and flew down next to her.

"Hey Rarity, what's up?"

"Rainbow, what's been going on?"

"What do you mean?" asked a perplexed Rainbow Dash.

"The clouds! They're not being cleared properly!"

"Well, I've been taking the week off. Why do you care…"

"Why have you taken the week off!" Rarity was almost shouting now. _Honestly, taking the week off. The cloud-clearing department exists for a reason!_

"Well… it was because I wanted to talk to Twilight, and she wouldn't come out of her house. Rarity, what's going on?"

"Twilight! She's doomed us all!"

"Rarity, what are you…" but Rarity was already galloping off.

_There's one more place to check. It's not likely, but I have to make sure. _Rarity was running towards Ponyville Central – the local hospital. It came into view quickly. It was a towering, rectangular building, with small rectangular windows. Its walls were an expanse of whiteness, broken only by large red words above the door: **Ponyville Central.**

It was not a particularly inviting place, but at the very least it was professional looking. _She may have been caught already, and brought in. Unlikely, but I must leave no stone unturned. _Rarity strode through the door and into the waiting room. She made a beeline for the medical pony standing behind the help desk. Looking up at the sound of walking hooves, she addressed Rarity in a bored voice.

"Hello, welcome to Ponyville Central."

"Hello. Could you please tell me if there is a Miss Pie on your records?"

"One moment, please." The pony spun around in her swivel chair, and began typing at an old fashioned computer. "Pie… Pie… Yes, we do."

"Really?" Rarity had not been expecting that. _I had no idea it would be this easy. _

"Yes, really. Jane Pie."

"_Jane _Pie?" Rarity was utterly perplexed. _A relative of Pinkie's? But… she never told me…. _

"Yes, _Jane _Pie," said the pony, sounding irritated now. "What do you want, her life's story?"

"Yes, I'd love that." It was true. Exasperated, the pony turned back to her computer and pushed a button.

"Well, here's all we have: She was brought in exactly four months ago today, as it happens, by her sister, Octavia Pie. This was because, quote, 'She's hearing voices in her head'. Then, Jane went berserk. She grabbed a knife, smashed it over a vial of dragon venom, and attacked her sister. After that, she made a break for it. Outside the doors, she assaulted a bystanding pegasus. The pegasus, yellow body and pink hair, flew away before she could be identified. Jane was tackled, and sent to Canterlot Asylum, where she currently resides. Octavia made a full recovery, and was released from Ponyville Central a two months later. The whereabouts of the attacked pegasus are unknown."

Rarity stared. This new information was overwhelming her. _Pinkie had two sisters that she never told us about. And one of them… one of them was insane. And… that couldn't have been Fluttershy… could it? Wait… what? _Eventually, she found words.

"Were there criminal charges?" The desk pony snorted.

"What, for Jane? The trial would have been a joke. She was completely batty, poor filly. She's been put on medication, but she has been deemed 'a menace to society' by the good folks over at Canterlot. She'll probably live in that asylum 'till her dying day."

"Thank you." Rarity turned, and walked away.

_If I don't find Pinkie soon, everypony is going to suffer for it. Pinkie's __going to be locked up, I'm going to be blamed for not turning her in, and whatever poor creature gets in her way is going to be flattened. _The sun was beginning to set as Rarity proceeded towards home. _Tomorrow, I'm going to round everypony up, and the hunt will begin. We need to find Pinkie before the law can – I _know_ she's a good pony. I've been __friends with her for years. And Ponyville wouldn't be the same without her, that's for sure._

Rarity arrived at her home a few minutes later. She was careful this time, checking behind her every few steps as she ascended the stairs. _I'm ready this time. She won't sneak up on me today. Come on, Pinkie. Rarity's ready for you! _But her taunts were wasted. After she slipped off her saddlebags and climbed into bed, glancingaround all the while, it became clear that there would be no ambush this time. _Well, let's get a good night's sleep, _thought Rarity as she yawned widely. _You've got a big day ahead of you, and you'll want to be full of energy, just like Pinkie. If you want to catch a crazy, you've got to think like a crazy. Well, that won't be too difficult for _my_ friends. _And as the darkness solidified before her eyes, she smiled to herself. _There's the dry wit._


	6. Onward

"Girls! Calm down!" Applejack shouted, her voice cutting through the squabble. This immediately silenced Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, the latter of whom had been making feeble attempts to break up the conflict. They all looked up, their attention drawn to the battered-but-still-imposing pony. "There are more important things to talk about than who's to blame. We need a plan."

"And where do you propose we start, darling? She could be anywhere in Equestria by now. You know how fast that pony can travel when she wants to."

"Well," piped up Twilight Sparkle, "we could ask around. I imagine somepony must have seen her; she's not exactly inconspicuous." Rarity smirked.

"That's for sure. I recommend we start with Mrs. Cake." _She's the only other pony who may know what's going on; even if she hasn't seen Pinkie, visiting her may still be useful._

The gaggle of ponies outside the town library began to move toward Sugarcube Corner, arguments breaking out within it but quickly being hushed. Rainbow Dash flew above them, orbiting the cluster of friends frustratedly. Fluttershy stood in the middle of the group, following along after Twilight Sparkle, who took the lead. Rarity lagged behind, lost in thought. Applejack walked next to them, keeping a close eye on Rainbow, who looked like she would snap and dash off without them at any moment.

"So, Fluttershy," Twilight said after a few moments of silence. "What happened to your leg? Did Pinkie attack you, too?" For some reason, Fluttershy glanced up at Rainbow, Rainbow pursed her lips, raised her eyebrows and gave a non-committal shrug. Fluttershy looked back at Twilight, seemingly having received her instructions. As she opened her mouth to speak, Rarity held her breath, listening closely. _Well, this _is_ interesting. Looking back, I suppose that a sudden burst of fashion sense wasn't a particularly likely explanation. It seems that there was another reason for her to be wearing dresses around town._

"Well, a few months back, I was attacked. It wasn't Pinkie, it was somepony I'd never met before." Rarity was thinking hard. _So, am I about to hear the story of Jane Pie's mental breakdown first-hand? _"It was outside a hospital. I was there because I was feeling sick, and I didn't know how to cure myself. So, I walked up the hospital doors, and they opened, and grey pony walked out. She was holding a knife." By now, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were also listening, transfixed. "Well, I tried to run away, but she jumped at me, and slashed my leg." Fluttershy waggled her leg for emphasis. "I was so scared, that I flew away, and... and..." here, she hesitated. But Rarity wasn't listening anymore. _So, it _was _Fluttershy. I wonder if I should tell her the _real _identity of her attacker. I suppose it's rather important. But, then again, at this point all it would do is scare them. I think I'll just keep it to myself until it becomes relevant. But, there is one thing I wonder: why didn't she tell us earlier? _After zoning back into the conversation, she found that this very question was being answered.

"Because... I didn't want to worry you. After all, it's no big deal. All I have to do is apply the antidote every two nights."

_Really? Well, I suppose that does sound like Fluttershy. Considerate to a fault, that one is. _Rarity looked at the others, noting their reactions. Applejack seemed to believe it. Twilight looked confused, and Rainbow looked mildly surprised. However, nobody displayed any intention of contradicting her.

Despite walking much too slow for Rainbow's taste, they arrived at Pinkie's place of residence within a few minutes. The unmistakable sound of two unicorns, two pegasi and a pony walking through a bakery door made Mrs. Cake look up.

"Oh, it's you five! I was hoping you'd stop by."

"Why's that?" asked Twilight, as an excited ripple shot through the group.

"Well, yesterday night, Pinkie ran into the Everfree forest, and she didn't tell me why. She hasn't come back since. I was wondering if any of you might know what she was doing." Twilight glanced around significantly at the group, which nodded as a whole.

"Uh, no. We don't know what she was doing. I'm sorry." They turned to leave.

"But, aren't you worried?" Mrs. Cake called, furrowing her brow. This took all of them by surprise. Rarity spoke first.

"Of course we are! We're on our way to the forest right now to find her."

"You can't just go running off into the Everfree forest! It's much too dangerous." They all glanced at each other, aghast.

"We don't have _time _for this," Rainbow whispered into Rarity's ear. Nodding in acknowledgement, she spoke to the worried Mrs. Cake in as soothing a voice as she could muster.

"We've all been in the forest before. Many times, in fact. There's nothing in there that we can't handle."

"But... why can't you call the police? If Pinkie's gone missing, surely they can help." The other ponies once again turned to Rarity to answer the question, as none of them were quite sure why they didn't just call the police either. She had an answer ready.

"You can only call the police if it's been twenty-four hours. And if we wait until tonight, it may be too late." Mrs. Cake opened her mouth to argue the point further, but Rarity shot her down. "We'll be fine, trust me."

Once again, the ponies turned to leave. They filed out one by one, first Rainbow, then Twilight, then Fluttershy and Applejack next. Rarity was about to follow suit, when she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She looked around. Mrs. Cake, who had moved surprisingly fast from behind the counter, was standing right behind her.

"Wait a moment," she said softly. Rarity looked out at the others, who were looking at her expectantly.

"I'll be out in a moment! Just wait for me." Rarity and Mrs. Cake walked further into the shop, out of anybody else's earshot.

"Don't think," she whispered, "that I don't know what's going on."

"What do you mean, darling?" Rarity was genuinely confused, but something in her tone must have sounded mocking.

"Don't play games with me," Mrs. Cake hissed with a ferocity that Rarity never would have guessed could come from the sweet, plump little bakery shop owner. "I know what's happened to Pinkie. She's gone, and she's never coming back. You five are the only ones I've got, now. I won't let you throw yourselves away." Rarity was stunned; this was much more interesting than she had expected.

"What do you mean, 'she's never coming back?'"

"Because I've seen this happen before. I suppose you know that Pinkie had two sisters. They were named Jane and Octavia. They were never the barrel of laughs that Pinkie was, but Jane would stop by from time to time to visit us. Not Octavia, though – she was too good for us. She went and made a name for herself as a musician in Canterlot. Never bothered to find out what became of her little sisters. But one day, a few months back, she came along with Jane on one of her visits. They didn't stay long, but I remember it very clearly. Jane was acting odd – talking to ponies who weren't there, and… things. Octavia just, 'Stopped by to say hello', as she put it. But now I know that she was really stopping by to say goodbye. Jane was taken to the hospital the next day, and…"

"Yes." Rarity interrupted her speech. "I know what happened then. She attacked Octavia." Mrs. Cake nodded vigorously.

"Octavia was kept in the hospital for a month or two, and then returned to her home in Canterlot. Didn't bother to visit me, naturally. Jane was thrown into the loony bin, and she's still there to this day. When Pinkie started acting odd as well, I knew what was coming. I hoped that maybe it was just a false alarm, but no – a few days later, she runs off, and doesn't come back. Any day now, I'm expecting Octavia to come knocking at my door, saying she's hearing voices in her head; and it'd serve her right."

Rarity stared for a moment, piecing together the meaning behind this story. When she spoke, it was slowly and carefully.

"So… that's it? You're just giving up on her? Oops, Pinkie's gone, time to get a new daughter?" Mrs. Cake shook her head sadly.

"You didn't see what Jane was like, that night. It was scary. Even if you find Pinkie, she won't want to come back and you won't want her back."

"But if we can get her on her medication…"

"Jane was put on medication, and she's still being locked up."

"But…"

"Look!" Mrs. Cake cut across her angrily. "I knew Jane. She was a sweet girl; quiet, sensitive, never one to pick a fight. But _that didn't matter. _After what she did, nopony cared that she wasn't in her right mind. By the time you find Pinkie, she'll probably have killed somepony."

"Hey!" Both Rarity and Mrs. Cake looked around. Rainbow Dash was standing in the doorway, looking impatient. "I'm sorry, but we're kind of in a hurry."

"Coming!" Rarity called. She turned back, and whispered fiercely to Mrs. Cake. "I don't care if you've given up, but I'm finding her. I will find a way to make it work, somehow. Because Pinkamina Pie is my friend, and I'm willing to do anything it takes to get her back." Once again, Mrs. Cake just shook her head sadly.

"You go ahead and try, but I'm going to distance myself from the whole affair as much as possible. I've lost a lot over the years, and I'm not going to get my hopes up just so they can be lost too." Rarity turned away, disgusted.

* * *

><p>Back outside, the ponies were discussing the journey to come.<p>

"So, we'll need to pack some supplies. Who knows how long it'll take to find her?" Twilight Sparkle spoke to the group in a commanding tone once Rarity had returned. "We'll need food, for one thing."

"I'll handle that," said Applejack. "I'll bring some food from the farm."

"Um, excuse me," cut in Rarity, raising a hoof in protest. "Perhaps it would be better if we all just packed food for ourselves. I'm sorry Applejack, but some of us need to eat more than just apples all day." Applejack opened her mouth to retort, but Twilight shut down the argument before it could begin.

"Right! So, that's settled. We'll all pack food for ourselves. We'll also need a tent."

"I have one we could use," said Fluttershy.

"Excellent! Now,"

"But one tent won't be big enough for all of us, will it?" interrupted Rainbow.

"Well, I suppose not," said Twilight, now getting rather irritated. _She's right, of course, but can't we get anything done without a conflict emerging?_ "I think I have one lying around. Two tents will be fine." There was a general nod of agreement. "And, I guess we can all pack something to keep ourselves entertained. I figure it should take about a week to find her."

"And where are you getting that number from, darling? For all we know, she could be miles and miles away. Or maybe she's just having a cup of tea with Zecora."

"Well, I don't know, Rarity," she said through gritted teeth. "Do you have a better idea?" Rarity just gave a non-committal shrug. "Well then, I say we pack for a week-long trip, and if it takes any longer than that, we'll stop at a nearby town and get some supplies there. I'll bring a map, so we won't get too lost."

"Well, we'd better get moving then," said Applejack encouragingly. "Let's meet up back here in half an hour. Then we can head into the forest together."

"Yes, thank you Applejack," said Twilight, relieved that they were moving forward. "I'll see you all then." And before anybody could say anything else, she turned and galloped toward home.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash was in a pugnacious mood when she arrived at her doorstep, but she restrained herself as she replied to the cheerful "Hello" of the mail pony standing outside her house.<p>

"Hi Ditzy," she said, opening her door.

"Hi Rainbow Dash!" Ditzy chirped. She had been a mail pony for several years now, and had developed a knowledge of Ponyville's residents to rival Pinkie Pie's. "I brought you a letter!" Ditzy struggled for a moment to open her saddlebag, and struggled again to find the right letter, while Rainbow stood in her doorway. What she wanted to do more than anything else right now was be alone, and think; this delay was doing nothing to improve her mood, which was already being strained to the breaking point. _Keep it together, Rainbow. She can't help it. _

Eventually, Ditzy managed to extract the letter, and spat it at Rainbow's feet. At that moment, as she stood looking up at Rainbow and flicking her tail, she appeared so dog-like that Rainbow was seized by a sudden urge to pat her head. Shaking herself mentally, Rainbow thanked Ditzy, picked up the letter and walked inside. The was still fuming. _The greatest opportunity of my life. The _one _event I wouldn't miss for anything, and Pinkie goes bonkers the same week. And of course, nopony bothers to mention it. What, did they think I forgot? Or maybe _they _forgot. I suppose it's too much to ask. After all, it's only my lifelong dream. Nothing my best friends should bother to learn. _

Rainbow bitterly spat the letter onto the floor, and was about to walk away when something caught her eye. Slowly, she looked back at the envelope. She bent over it, staring at the orange wax seal. It was a lightning bolt.

_Dear aspiring flyer,_

_ We regret to inform you that this year's Wonderbolts Initiation Camp will be postponed due to inclement weather. A task force of weather pegasi has been dispatched to solve the problem, but until it is resolved, the Wonderbolts Initiation Camp will be unable to begin. As a result, the Wonderbolts Initiation Camp will begin a week later than previously scheduled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. _

_ Sincerely, Starchy, manager of The Wonderbolts™ _

Rainbow stared at the letter, and as she reread it for the third time, a grin spread across her face.

* * *

><p>"Fluttershy, you can tell me anything. I hope you understand that."<p>

"Of course I do," replied Fluttershy, a ball of guilt squirming in her stomach. "But I don't have time right now. I _have _to go. You'd agree if you knew what I was doing." Big Macintosh stared dolefully into her imploring face. He sighed, and spoke in his slow, thoughtful voice.

"No matter what it is, you don't have to. It's your decision. It's a choice."

"Well, I've made my choice. And I think it's the right one."

"I trust you. If your gut's tellin' you to go, then you should go. But I want you to know – you don't have to be a hero all the time. Celestia knows you've done enough for this town already. How many monsters have you protected your friends from now? Three?"

"I'm not trying to be a hero. I'm being a good friend. Please, don't argue with me, Big Mac. This is hard enough as it is." Big Mac nodded, unsmiling.

"Well, go ahead then. But please, take care of yourself."

"I will. I promise."

* * *

><p>"Pleeeeaaaaase?"<p>

"For the last time, no! You need to stay here and watch over the library."

"Can't Owlowicious do it?"

"He can't talk, Spike. He has no hooves."

"But… but…"

"That's enough. Don't worry about me, I'll be back soon." Twilight dropped the saddlebags loaded with supplies onto her back. She took one final look around the room, making sure she'd brought everything she needed. _Looks good. Well, off I go. _She walked toward the door, leaving a disappointed Spike standing in the middle of the room. As she pulled the door open, a thought hit her. _Ooh! I almost forgot. Come on, Twilight, focus!_

"Oh, and Spike? You're going to have to look after Angel again."

* * *

><p>"There we go! That should last you a week or two. Don't worry, Mommy won't be gone for long." Opalescence let out a disgusted hiss at the enormous pile of cat food that had been deposited in her bowl. With a casual flick of her horn, she sent a dishrag swooping in to wipe up the spilled particles around the base of the mountain. Bowls of water had been stationed around the house, and the litter box had been completely emptied. She had also removed the horrendously ugly boards from her bedroom window, as they no longer served a purpose.<p>

_ Excellent! Everything seems to be in order. No loose ends. I suppose I'd best be off, then. _"Good-bye, Opal! Mommy's going to miss you!" And with those final words echoing around the boutique, she walked out the door.

* * *

><p>Applejack gasped in pain as she fell onto her broken leg. <em>Maybe it's a good thing I ain't workin' the farm. This is gettin' a mite bit tiring. <em>Mustering her resolve, she brought her in-tact leg into the air, and slammed it into the tree again. A an apple tumbled sadly onto the ground. She scooped it into her saddlebag, and felt it add to the weight pressing on her back. _That should be enough; if I get sick of apples, I'm sure somepony else'll share their food with me. _

Applejack began to trot towards Ponyville. She had wondered whether she would run into Big Mac, who would surely wonder why she had run off from her hospital bed. However, he was nowhere to be seen. This worked in her favor - she didn't feel like explaining anything at the moment. _It does feel a lot like lying, though, not tellin'_ _him something this important. I suppose he'll be worried if he hears that I've run off from the hospital. I hope I don't give him too big a fright. _She shook her head as she mounted a hill, and saw Ponyville in the distance. _Truth is important. Keeping information to yourself never makes thing better. But, I guess when he sees that the others are gone too, he'll figure out that we're together. And after all, we get into crazy adventures all the time. We've learned a few tricks. If he has an ounce of sense about him, he'll know we're safe. I hope._

* * *

><p>Twilight was the first to return to Sugarcube corner. Her efficient organization coupled with her lack of a social life made preparing for the journey a brief process. Rarity was next, and Applejack followed. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash came flying in from, oddly enough, Sweet Apple Acres a good ten minutes late.<p>

"Fluttershy! Rainbow!" Twilight called. "What took you so long?"

"Oh... I, um, had a lot of packing to do," was Fluttershy's response. Rainbow opened her mouth, but was spared the necessity to explain her lateness, as Twilight interrupted.

"Did you, by any chance, find somepony to look after your animals while you're gone?" Fluttershy stared at her blankly for a moment, then gasped.

"Oh my goodness! I forgot! I need to find somepony to watch them! Oh my goodness!"

"Fluttershy!" Twilight said, raising her voice slightly in order to be heard over Fluttershy's hyperventilation. "It's okay. Spike's taking care of it."

"Oh..." Fluttershy stared for a moment longer. "Thank you very much, Twilight. I can't believe I forgot about that!"

Twilight looked her over, interested. _Huh, that's very out of character. I mean... that's not like Fluttershy. I wonder what was distracting enough to make her forget about her animals? Well, I suppose it's none of my business. Although, I can't help but notice that she and Rainbow Dash flew in from the orchard together. Rainbow lives above there, but I suppose it's rather telling that Fluttershy was over there as well. Well, I have no objections. I'm happy if they're happy. _Nevertheless, there was the faintest hint of bitterness in her voice as she assured Fluttershy that, 'it was nothing'.

Rarity, completely oblivious to the unfolding drama beside her, chose this moment to speak up.

"Shall we be going, then? I say the quicker we get back, the better for all concerned." Applejack nodded her agreement.

"Now girls, since the sun's nearly down already, I say we set up camp near Zecora's place. Then, we can visit her in the morning - she may have seen Pinkie."

"That's sounds good - now, can we please get going? I need to be back home within a week," said Rainbow Dash. She looked around expectantly, but nobody asked her why.

"Sure thing," said Twilight. "I trust you brought your tent, Fluttershy?" She nodded silently. "Well then, we should be good to go. Are you all ready?"

"Let's do this!"

"Yee-haw!"

"Always ready, darling."

"Um... okay."

"Then... onward!"


	7. Marbles

The trek through the Everfree forest was tense and drawn-out. Everyone was slightly on edge; despite Rarity's reassurances, the forest was still dark, gloomy, and eerily silent. Twilight's horn acted as a flashlight, exposing the narrow trail ahead. But the trees on either side of the path seemed to swallow the light, leaving the ponies' vision limited to directly ahead and behind them.

"We must be getting close. We've been walking _forever._"

"We've been walking for five minutes, Rainbow."

"Well, we'd better be there soon. We should try to set up camp before nightfall."

"Yes, we should. I hope we can find a clearing somewhere."

"Aha!"

Twilight jerked to a halt, and Rainbow nearly crashed into her.

"What?"

"Look!" Rainbow craned her neck to see around Twilight's head. Her light was shining on Zecora's house.

"Should we ask her now?" she asked hesitantly.

"No, it's too late. Let's just keep walking, and see if we can find a place to sleep. We'll come back in the morning."

The ponies edged around the house, careful not to slip into the darkness around them. As Twilight passed by the window, she glanced into the house. Zecora was nowhere to be found. _But of course, she's probably just in another room. No need to start worrying until we find a body. _Still, just thinking these words sent a chill down her spine. _I need some sleep._

Soon, they were back on the forest trail, plodding deeper into the forbidding wood. _We've been much farther into the forest than this. The elements of harmony must have been miles away. There's no need to be scared. _But fear still came. _It's not the same. It's just not the same without Pinkie. _

But Twilight didn't need to persevere for long, for better or for worse. Soon, they found what they were looking for.

"Whoa…" Twilight stopped dead, causing Rainbow to crash into her. "Oh, sorry." She stepped forward, allowing the others to see what she was marveling at. They had come upon a large patch of empty earth, perfectly round except for the two ruptures where the clearing melted into trail.

"Well, this looks good," commented Rarity, as she delicately stepped around the awestruck Twilight.

"It's perfect!" Rainbow followed her, and leapt into the air the moment she was free of the ceiling.

"Too perfect; it's pony-made. A clearing like this can't have occurred naturally." Fluttershy looked around as joined the others, followed by a silent Applejack.

"You think so?" Rarity opened one of Twilight's saddlebags and stuck her head inside. Twilight showed no sign of response. "Who do you think it was?"

"Who knows? It might have been Zecora. We can ask her tomorrow."

"Mm," Rarity's voice called from the depths of Twilight's baggage. Eventually, she withdrew, holding a green roll of plastic in her mouth. Dropping onto the earth, she looked around. "Well, am I going to have to set up this tent on my own?"

Twilight snapped out of her stupor, and looked over at her.

"Right! Sorry." She closed her eyes, and her horn began to glow. The tent rose into the air and unfurled, in smooth, mesmerizing movements. Fluttershy flicked her saddlebag open, and shook herself violently, causing the second tent to pop out and onto the ground. She picked it up in her mouth, and tried to shake it open.

"Don't bother, Fluttershy. I've got it." The purple glow around her horn brightened, and she plucked the tent out of the shy little pony's mouth.

"Oh… okay," Fluttershy said quietly. Nobody heard her. Pegs flew into the air, and hammered themselves into the earth. A few more plastic rolls jumped out of her bags. She gritted her teeth, straining to manipulate so many objects at once. The sleeping bags rolled out and flew into the tents, which were now fully erected. Finally, she let all of the mallets fall to the ground with a final clink.

This demonstration was received with a round of impressed applause from her friends. Twilight smiled weakly. _I really need some sleep._

"So, where're we gonna be sleepin'?" asked Applejack.

Twilight Sparkle looked over her friends. Applejack was smiling encouragingly. Rarity was simply looking at her with a raised eyebrow. Fluttershy was looking away, clearly uncomfortable. Rainbow was still flying in circles above, completely indifferent to the goings on below. _Well, I guess it's my job to decide, then. _She looked over them again, and as her eyes passed over Fluttershy, another wave of bitterness rose in her stomach like bile. _Stay calm, Twilight. Friendship will always triumph over catharsis. What would be the right thing to do? _She mulled it over for a bit, deciding what would be the tactful way to resolve this situation. More as a play for time than anything else, she looked up.

"What do you think, Rainbow?" Rainbow Dash stopped in mid-air, hovering above them.

"I don't care," she said, almost icily. "It's your choice."

"Well…" Twilight made her decision. "How about Applejack, Rarity and I be in one tent, while Fluttershy and Rainbow be in the other?"

"No!"

* * *

><p><em>Oh dear! I said that out loud, didn't I? <em>It would appear that she had. Everybody gaped at her; even Dash momentarily let go of her cold indifference in order to stare.

"I mean… why don't we trade off? Switch every night?" Twilight continued to stare. "Because… that way… we won't…" her voice trailed off.

"Um… okay, why not? So, tonight, it'll be Fluttershy, Applejack and I in one tent, and Rarity and Rainbow in the other. Sound good?" Fluttershy nodded weakly. "Okay then. Let's go." Twilight trotted over to one of the tents, and slipped inside. Applejack followed her, and Rarity proceeded into the other. Rainbow didn't move.

"What was that about?" she asked, landing next Fluttershy. "It would have made much for sense for us to be together."

"I'm sorry." Fluttershy felt terrible. _Why couldn't I have just kept my mouth shut? Why do I always do this? _"I didn't mean to say it. It just… slipped out." Rainbow looked away, frowning in frustration.

"Well, it doesn't matter, as long as we're together tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow?" She looked back, confused.

"Well, that way we can patch up your leg." Fluttershy stared for a moment, nonplused. Then, the realization clicked into place. She gasped.

"Rainbow! Last night… we forgot to apply the medicine!"

* * *

><p><em>They certainly are taking a long time. I wish they'd hurry up. I mean, I know they're sharing a moment right now, but that's no reason to keep the rest of us waiting up. <em>Twilight shifted about in her sleeping bag, and glanced over at Applejack. She was lying on her side, facing the tent wall. She might have been asleep – it was impossible to tell. Twilight returned to the book she was levitating above her face, but she was having difficulty focusing. She found herself glancing at the tent flap obsessively, waiting to see Fluttershy's head poke through. Against the light that was shining from Twilight's horn, which she could now keep ignited without even thinking, she could see the faint silhouettes of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash through the fabric. The temptation to step outside and see what they were doing grew stronger as the minutes ticked on, particularly once one of the silhouettes began to rub against the other. _I don't care. After all, that could be anything. That could be Fluttershy fetching something from Rainbow's saddlebag; although, I doubt it. But I don't care. _Once one of the silhouettes bent over and began rubbing its face against the other's leg, Twilight gave up watching. She stared resolutely at her book, but it no longer had a chance of keeping her attention. _I really need some sleep. _Eventually, she put the book down. It was no use.

"Applejack?" she whispered. "Are you awake?" There was no reply. _Huh. She went out like a light. I guess this has been a bit tougher on her than she's been letting on. _Twilight let own a huge yawn. _Poor thing. _She rolled over in bed, and put out her horn.

* * *

><p>"Thanks, Rainbow." Fluttershy shook her leg experimentally.<p>

"How's it feel?"

"Fine. Just fine. So, should we do it again tomorrow?" Rainbow shrugged.

"I don't know. You're the doctor."

"Well, I guess we should, just in case. After all, it can't hurt, can it?" Again, Rainbow just shrugged. Fluttershy felt a twinge of annoyance at her refusal to contribute anything more helpful to the discussion, but it passed. "Well then, why don't we go to sleep?"

"Sure. See you tomorrow, Fluttershy." Rainbow turned, and trotted off toward the second tent.

* * *

><p>A rustling noise filled the tent, informing Rarity of the fact that Rainbow had returned. <em>Please, don't talk to me. I'm not in the mood. Perhaps you could just-<em>

"Rarity?" Rainbow asked.

"_Yes?_" she replied rather pointedly.

"Nothing. Just seeing if you were awake."

"Well I _am _awake, so if there's nothing else you need, I'll continue attempting to remedy that." Rainbow raised an eyebrow at this.

"No need to lash out at me. I was just checking in." Rarity sighed, seeing the truth in these words.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude." Rainbow just nodded slowly, and set about undoing her saddlebags. Over the soft noise this task produced, Rarity was thinking.

_I don't know why I said it. I suppose I'm just not used to this sort of thing. After all, my problems usually wrap themselves up after a few days. But I've been trying to get Pinkie her medication for almost a week now, and there's no end in sight. Perhaps I just don't handle long-term projects that _don't _have to do with fashion well. Well, from now on, I'll try to improve my attitude. Because after all, friendship is more important than fashion._

* * *

><p>A rustling noise filled the tent. This would have informed Twilight and Applejack of the fact that Fluttershy had returned, if they had been awake.<p>

Fluttershy slipped off her bags, and crawled underneath her sleeping bag without making a sound. _It's the least I can do. I've already cost them enough. If I hadn't been such a coward, and just gone to the hospital, this never would have happened. I just can't seem to do anything right. First, I just stand by and watch as a filly is beaten within an inch of her life. Then, I'm willing to shut down the entire cloud-removal department for a week just so I won't have to go to a hospital. And now, I can't even be a good fillyfriend to Big Mac. It makes you wonder why they even want to be friends with me. _

But if nothing else, glumness is fairly powerful sedative, and Fluttershy had drifted off before any more depressing thoughts could seize her.

* * *

><p>This meant that Rainbow Dash was last of them to fall asleep. Rarity had a habit of fidgeting while she lay in bed, so it was easy to tell when she had finally dozed off. But Rainbow stayed awake for at least an hour longer. She wasn't worried, per se, but there were nagging doubts clinging to the back of her mind. <em>Starting tomorrow, we have seven days to find Pinkie. On the eighth, I'll need to be back at Ponyville to leave for camp. It sounds easy, but... I have a feeling it won't all go according to plan. Well then, I'll just have to <em>make _it go according to plan. I can have everything - My friends, and my dreams, and my work - as long as I never stop to rest. I will find Pinkie, and go to that flight camp, if it kills me! _She rolled over in bed, bearing a slightly evil grin. Rainbow Dash was never one to dread a challenge.

Day One

Twilight Sparkle was the last to wake up the next morning. When she did, she was dazed and confused, and utterly incomprehensible.

"Wha... da... guh?" was all she could force out of her mouth. This made Fluttershy, who had been sitting in a corner and playing with a marble, look around.

"Oh! You're awake! We were getting worried."

"Why?" Twilight asked, blinking rapidly. It was shockingly bright in the tent, much more light than Rarity could have produced.

"The rest of us have been awake for hours. Rarity and Rainbow Dash have already gone to visit Zecora."

"Oh," she said, disappointed. _I wish I could have gone. It would have been nice to see her, if only as a reminder that we're not in the middle of nowhere quite yet. _"So then, what time is it?"

"It's nearly one in the afternoon."

"Oh." Twilight couldn't think of anything else to say to that, so she looked around. "Where's Applejack?" she asked, noticing the vacant sleeping bag to her left.

"She's just outside. She wanted to get some fresh air."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Twilight furrowed her brow, concerned. "Shouldn't she be resting?"

"That's what I said. But she doesn't want to rest. She gets bored easily, just like Dashie." Then, realizing what she had just said, Fluttershy blushed and returned to her marble. Twilight rolled her eyes, but made no mention of the use of Rainbow's pet name. _I don't care, I don't care, I don't care. _More to distract herself than anything else, he stared at the little glass ball that Fluttershy was rolling from one hoof to the other, and back again. It was mesmerizing, and Twilight found herself following its path with her eyes.

"Why did you bring that?" she asked, tilting her head back and forth.

"Oh, I don't know. It's just a trinket. It helps me think." Back and forth, back and forth.

"What are you thinking about?" Fluttershy brought a hoof down on top of it, and it stopped rolling. She looked up at Twilight.

"Nothing in particular. Just... life." She set the ball rolling again. Twilight nodded as she watched its progress.

"I know what you mean." _Should I tell her? Should I tell her that I know about them? Or would she get angry? She looks like she's feeling pretty down as it is. Would she just burst out crying if I told her now. Ugh, I would hate that. Maybe I should just hold it in for now. Maybe it would be better to tell Rainbow first. Or... maybe I should just not say anything at all. I mean, they were planning on telling us anyway. They probably would have by now if it weren't for the whole Pinkie thing. I suppose I should just let them come out in their own time. A little white lie won't hurt anypony. _

As she reached this decision, she heard a voice call out from outside the tent. Another voice - easily identifiable as Applejack's - responded. Twilight scrambled out of her sleeping bag, eager to escape the rather depressing sight of Fluttershy and her marble. She stuck her head through the tent flap, and was blasted by by afternoon light. She squinted, trying to make out the scene before her. But before her vision had fully returned, Applejack's voice called out to her.

"Twilight! There you are. You've been sleepin' like a log all day. Pleasure to see you're still alive."

"Thanks," she said, still unable to open her eyes. "Applejack, who were you talking to?"

"Us, silly!" said the voice of Rainbow Dash. "Did you just wake up?" Twilight nodded, slowly opening her eyes. She could make out Applejack, standing in the middle of the clearing and smiling warmly. Then, looking to her side, she found Rainbow and Rarity, standing by the entrance to the forest path which led back to Ponyville.

"Well? Did you talk to Zecora?" was the first thing she asked once she could see properly.

"Well, not exactly talked, darling," said Rarity, walking forwards. "It was more like exchanging couplets. It's really quite fascinating, the way she speaks."

"Okay," said Twilight impatiently. "But did you find out if she'd seen Pinkie?" Rarity shook her head.

"I'm afraid not. Pinkie must have walked past her house at some point, but I guess she didn't notice."

"How do you know she walked past Zecora's house?" asked Rainbow, also walking over to join the others.

"Well, she must be following the path. Pinkie may be insane, but she's not stupid and she's not suicidal. Running off the path and into the forest proper would be just that - suicide."

"So," piped up Applejack, "at least we know we're going the right way." They all nodded in agreement. "Why don't we go tell Fluttershy?"

"You go ahead and tell her," said Twilight. "But we should get moving soon. Remember, we need to move fast if we want to catch her. Rarity and Rainbow, you should go pack up your bags. We'll go as soon as we can."

"Got it. We'll be done in a jiffy!" And with that, Rainbow sped into her tent, with Rarity following behind her.

She was as good as her word. By the time Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy stepped out of their tent fully packed, she and Rarity were already waiting. Twilight folded up and packed the tents, and they started on their way once more.

Traveling by day was much more cheerful than the alternative, and spirits were high all around as they continued their journey through the Everfree Forest. Every now and again, they stopped to eat, or to provide a rest for the three of them that were not as used to physical exertion. Perhaps it was the length of the journey that contributed to the good feeling; by the time the ponies were beginning to become snippy with one another, the sun had began to set, and it was nearly time to find another place to sleep.

However, they did not have the good fortune to happen across another perfect circle of camping ground. As they proceeded deeper into the forest, the winding dirt path became narrower, and thick ropes of ivy began to creep across their way. Even during midday, the canopy of leaves and vines blocked out all sunlight, and soon it was impossible to tell the time of day, unless a small gap in the trees allowed a feeble beam of line to shine through. Eventually, it became clear that setting up camp on the path was the only option.

"I'm not sure the tents will fit," said Fluttershy, looking up and down the path nervously.

"Well, I don't think we have much of a choice. We haven't found a clearing all day, and I am certainly not going to stay up all night looking for one."

"Can you please stop whin-" Rainbow began, but at a dangerously haughty look from Rarity, she changed tack immediately. "I mean, can you please stop complaining, Rarity? We all want to get to bed as much as you do."

"Well, I've been walking all day, and I'm just exhausted! A lady shouldn't have to put up with this."

"News flash, Rarity: We've _all _been walking all day."

"Yes, but you're used to it. You're an... _athlete._" She spoke this last word as if it were something vile. Rainbow was about to tackle her, when Twilight stepped in.

"Girls! In case you haven't noticed, the tents are already up." They both looked around. Sure enough, Twilight had been erecting the tents with surprising speed as they argued. "Now, I think we'd all better get some sleep. It's been a long day, and we've made good progress. Pinkie can't be too far ahead of us. We just need to keep it together, and we may have caught her by the end of tomorrow." Rainbow Dash and Rarity were still looking daggers at each other, but they decided not to let Twilight's skillful peace-making go to waste. "So, I think we'd better split the two of you up tonight. How about... Applejack, Rarity and I in one tent, with Fluttershy and Rainbow in the other?" She looked cautiously at Fluttershy, prepared for another outburst. But she simply nodded, blushing slightly. "Well then! Let's get off to bed."

Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack all proceeded to their assigned tents. They all had their own worries, and priorities, and secrets. But they all had one thing in common: Tonight, sleep came quickly.


	8. Trek

Day Two

The next morning, the group moved quickly and silently. There weren't many constructive things to be said; their plan remained as simple as ever. They were to walk straight forward, without any other form of stimulation. _I suppose this is how Pinkie felt back on the rock farm, _Rarity said to herself, trudging along the forest path between Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. _Poor filly. I'm used to simple, repetitive work. It's half my job. But Pinkie Pie, a loving, playful spirit trapped in a drab, monotone world; well, it's no wonder something went wrong in her head. _

As the day wore on, their attitude worsened in direct proportion to the amount of time they spent walking without rest. Even Applejack, the pony who spent most of her time trotting around Sweet Apple Acres, was beginning to feel the effects of two days of non-stop walking. As for Twilight Sparkle, whose total athletic experience was one race over a year ago, she could barely breathe when they stopped for rest. This, combined with the boredom and the dull scenery, led to foul tempers all around. But fortunately for their continued friendship, arguing takes energy, and there was no energy to waste. So, when something went wrong for the first time in their journey, the obstacle was silently welcomed.

* * *

><p>"Well, now what do we do?" asked Rainbow, surveying the path before them over Twilight's shoulder. They had reached a fork in the path. They were so deep into the forest that none of them could remember which way would lead them out.<p>

"Which way do you think Pinkie went?" called Fluttershy's voice from the back of the line.

"Well, we can find out." Twilight closed her eyes, and her horn began to glow. Rainbow looked back at the others, confused. Rarity just shrugged.

"Twilight, what are you..."

"One second, Rainbow. I'm concentrating!" Her horn glowed brighter and brighter, until Rainbow was forced to take a step backwards, for fear of being enveloped in the purple aura radiating from the purple unicorn. And then, it died. The purple sphere of magic retreated back into Twilight's horn with an anti-climactic fizzle. She stood, panting for a moment, before raising a hoof to the path on the right.

"I think…" she panted, sweat running down her forehead. "I think she went that way."

"And how can you tell, darling?" Rarity edged around Rainbow Dash to get a closer look at the exhausted Twilight.

"Well, It's a spell I learned a while back. I haven't done it in a while… I… I think I'm out of practice."

"Well, what does it do?" asked Rainbow impatiently.

"It lets me locate pony life nearby. So… I can tell which general direction Pinkie's in."

"So you know where Pinkie is?"

"Well… probably."

"And what does that mean?" Rainbow was really getting annoyed now. It was easy to tell when Rainbow was annoyed; she didn't try very hard to hide it.

"Rainbow, let her breathe!" said Applejack. Everybody looked around at her; this was the first thing she had said all day. Rainbow nodded resentfully, and backed away from Twilight. Eventually, Twilight gathered the strength to lift her head and look around at the others. This was a mistake, as Rainbow pounced on this sign of recovery.

"So, will you tell us what this spell of yours does?"

"Well, I can tell how far away somepony is, and in which direction. But, the thing is, I can't tell _who _they are."

"So…."

"The larger an area you search, the harder the spell is to maintain. So, I spread outwards from this area in order to locate the nearest pony. I felt four very strong presences – that's you four – and another one moderately far away. And it was down this path." Rainbow blinked. "To put it simply, somepony is down this path. But I'm not sure if it's Pinkie."

There was a pause as everybody processed this information. Rarity finished first.

"Well, it's all we've got. We may as well try it." There was a general nod of consent.

"I suppose. I just hope we're not blundering off in the wrong direction." Rarity strode confidently past Twilight, who was still eyeing the two paths worriedly.

"Darling, I like being sure as much as you do. But sitting here staring won't make it any clearer."

"Exactly!" Rainbow stepped around Twilight as well, and followed Rarity into the blackness ahead. Applejack was next. Twilight looked up at her, every doubt in her body etched across her face. Applejack just shrugged.

"It's as good a plan as any, sugarcube." And she disappeared into the darkness too. Fluttershy followed along silently. Twilight sat still for a few more seconds, thinking. But then, a voice called back from the shadows ahead.

"We could use a light, Twilight!" She stood, and ran forward to join her friends.

Not many minutes had passed when they encountered the next point of interest. After walking for days in what seemed to be the same direction, the trees were beginning to thin.

"Do you think we're nearing the edge of the forest?" asked Rainbow, who was trotting alongside Twilight.

"We must be. Look, we barely need my horn anymore." Twilight switched the beam of light off, and it was immediately clear that she was right. The dense canopy above was letting through a surprising amount of light. "And, the path's getting wider." This was also true; the tents, which were nearly too large the previously night, could now easily fit on the path. "We must be getting close."

And, as if in intentional confirmation, a sharp turn in the path brought them face-to-face with dazzling sunlight. Twilight raised a hoof to her eyes as she walked outside, followed by Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack, all of whom did likewise.

"We made it!" exclaimed Rainbow happily, slowly lowering her leg as she grew accustomed to the warmth and light.

"Not exactly, Rainbow," said Rarity smoothly. "All being outside will do is make it harder to find her."

Rainbow turned to Twilight for support, with a look of exasperation. Twilight shuffled, uncomfortable. _I shouldn't encourage her. I really shouldn't. But she does have a point. _She looked around, surveying the landscape.

Apart from the solid wall of forest they had just escaped, the land was absolutely featureless. It was desert: a long expanse of brown, sugary sand. There were sand dunes thrown about carelessly, as if a giant had planted trees throughout the desert, and covered up the seeds with mounds sand. It was beautiful in its way; or at least, it would have been had the onlookers not been faced with the prospect of crossing it.

"Where do you think we are, Twilight?" asked Fluttershy, eyeing the desert ahead worriedly. Twilight opened her saddlebags, and a tightly furled scroll floated out. It unraveled before the ponies' eyes, revealing itself to be a map of Equestria.

"Well, let's see," said Twilight, scanning the map. "Well, here's the Everfree Forest. It looks like we went west from Ponyville, into the forest. Then, I guess we turned north at some point, and went that way for a while. And that fork in the road took us east again. So, it looks like we're right… here!"

She raised a hoof, pointing to a spot on the map. They had taken a semi-circular route through the forest, carving a neat slice out of the huge, green blob that was the Everfree Forest. Upon exiting, they found themselves north of Ponyville, on the edge of a gigantic desert.

"So, where'd Pinkie go?" asked Rainbow, who had taken to the sky and was flying circles around Twilight's head.

"Hold on. I can use number 17."

"Number 17?"

"The same spell I used earlier."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Twilight?" asked Fluttershy, concerned. "Using that spell last time really wore you out. Will you be able to do it again?"

"Well… I think so." But she didn't sound sure. _But of course, we should be closer to her than we were last time. We've been walking pretty fast. Maybe that'll make it easier. I just hope I don't faint – that'll lose us _a lot _of time_

Twilight bared her teeth, bent her neck, and focused. A purple aura appeared around her horn once more, and grew in intensity. Twilight closed her eyes – energy was coursing over her in ripples. Against the blackness before her, little light popped on and off. Odd, distorted voices echoed in her ears, and she could feel the strength being drained out of her quickly as if she had been sprinting with all her might. Four powerful waves of life washed over her with a whooshing sound, sending tingles down her spine. She waited, clenching every muscle in her body as the strain grew. Then, a different warped voice rang in her ears. It was quiet, but distinct enough from the others to be noticed easily. Another wave of energy splashed over her, and the buzzing in her ears rose violently. Twilight wanted to let go, to end pain that was gathering in her limbs, but she was afraid that doing so would result in some kind of explosion.

Only twice in her life had Twilight performed magic this powerful. The first time, she been just a little filly, and releasing the magic _had _resulted in an explosion. The second time had been just over a year ago, as she lifted an Ursa Minor into the air and carried him back to his cave. On that occasion, she had been able to let the force building within her die slowly, so as not to overload her own body. However, in didn't look like she had any such ability here.

Twilight had held on long enough. A blinding pain shot through her forehead, and she relaxed her muscles. The buzzing in her ears had died, as had the distant voices. As she swayed on the spot, she was dimly aware of hearing hooves plod against sand, and feeling somebody's forelegs wrap around her neck. Then, she blacked out.

* * *

><p>"Well, <em>now<em> what do we do?" asked Rainbow, stomping in frustration. "We can't just wait for her to wake up!"

"I quite agree," said Rarity, walking up to the unconscious body of Twilight Sparkle. "Come on, get up." She prodded Twilight's chin with her hoof, looking down her muzzle impatiently.

"Which way do you think Pinkie went?" asked Applejack, trotting over to the map that Twilight had dropped onto the sand. Nobody answered. Rainbow, Rarity and Fluttershy were all utterly distracted by Twilight's body. "Anypony wanna help?" Still no response. "Fine then, I guess I'll try to figure it out on my own." No response.

Applejack pursed her lips and turned back to the map. To the west of their location lay the Everfree forest, out of which the group had just emerged. To the south was a small cluster of dots, labeled 'Ponyville'. To the east was a large expanse of desert, across which sat Canterlot and the royal palace. And to their north, the map cut off, leaving nothing in sight.

_Well, I suppose she didn't come all this way just to go back to Ponyville. So, she's either on her way to Canterlot, or whatever's off the top of this map. Huh… _She looked up, scanning the scenery. _She probably walked down this path earlier today. She musta left some kinda clue. Let's see… clue… clue… aha! _

"Girls! Look at that!" Everybody looked up, and saw Applejack pointing over their heads. Barely noticeable but unmistakably there, a set of hoofprints were embedded in the stretch of sand before them. Had they been anybody's but Pinkie's, the hoofprints would have been too shallow to spot. But despite having a fairly small frame, Pinkie was a violent galloper.

Rainbow turned back to look at Applejack, her eyebrows raised.

"Well spotted, AJ. It's usually Rarity who picks up on those sorts of things." This sent Rarity into a full-blown pouting maneuver.

"Well, excuse me, Rainbow. Next time I'll be sure to make digging through sand my top priority if one of my friends has been knocked unconscious."

"Well," began Applejack, vying for a more peaceful solution than whatever the furious Rainbow was about to suggest, "I figured she was in good hooves with the three o' you lookin' after her."

Rainbow struggled for a moment, her desire to continue arguing conflicting with her desire to keep moving. Eventually, she made her choice.

"Why don't we get moving?"

"But what about Twilight?" asked Fluttershy, who had been spending the last few minutes re-packing Twilight's saddlebags, whose contents had spilled open when she collapsed.

"I suppose..." said Rainbow, looking around at her three remaining companions. "I suppose I could carry her." Both Applejack and Fluttershy immediately objected.

"Really, Rainbow, there's no need," said Applejack, drowning out Fluttershy's complaints. "Why don't I..."

"Are you kidding? You've got a broken leg, for Celestia's sake! Besides, I can fly, and you can't."

"But what if you drop her?"

"I won't." Rainbow smiled confidently at her companions. Applejack and Fluttershy glanced at each other nervously. Rarity, who seemed to have grown bored of the discussion, had already begun to follow the trail of hoofprints.

"Well, okay..." said Applejack. "But please, be careful, Rainbow."

"Aw, quit worrying! It'll be a piece of cake." Rainbow walked over to where Twilight was lying, and scooped her up in her forelegs.

"Well then, why don't we get moving?" Applejack trotted away, following the two sets of hoofprints that would lead them on their way. Rainbow leapt into the air, and whisked past her easily. "It's not a race, Rainbow!" shouted Applejack, breaking into a gallop. Fluttershy walked after them, tight-lipped.

* * *

><p>"Wha..." Twilight opened her eyes drearily. Her very first sight was the sky, and the clouds that drifted across it. Her second sight came after she looked down, and realized that she was thirty feet off the ground. Twilight shreiked out loud, and jumped violently.<p>

"Whoa!" The whole world spun, and Rainbow's wide-eyed face whooshed past her vision. She felt a hoof dart underneath her neck, keeping her from tumbling down to the ground. "Take it easy, Twilight! I nearly dropped you."

Twilight, looked around, panting. She quickly ascertained her position; she was in midair, supported only by Rainbow's legs. Rainbow's face was positioned somewhere at the edge of her vision.

"What happened?"

"You passed out after you cast that spell," she said, seemingly unshaken by Twilight's near-fatal joyride. "And I volunteered to carry you. You're lucky I'm here, Twilight. Rarity was all for leaving you."

"Uh-huh," she responded, knowing from experience to ignore this last comment. However, another question occured to her. "So, if I was passed out, how did you know which way to go?"

"We found hoofprints."

"Oh," Twilight said, rather put off. "That's... convenient." She couldn't see, but Twilight could have sworn that Rainbow was grinning.

* * *

><p>"So, what are the groups tonight, Twilight?" asked Applejack. Fluttershy was sitting in the sand, apart from the rest. Rainbow had darted into a tent at the first opportunity, and was currently curled into a ball inside a sleeping bag. Rarity was standing beside Applejack, frowning impatiently. Twilight was considering.<p>

_I suppose the polite thing to do would be to put Fluttershy and Rainbow together. But... _Again, a wave of bitterness beat against her stomach. _I suppose in the end, the _real _nice thing to do would be to seperate them, because... uh... _Twilight struggled internally for a moment, trying to think of a justification. _Well... maybe... Oh, to pony hell with it. _

"How about you, Rarity and Fluttershy sleep in one tent, and I'll be with Rainbow." Twilight glanced over at Fluttershy. She seemed happy enough.

"That sounds fine. Now, we should be getting pretty close to Canterlot. We'll probably arrive tomorrow, so we all oughta get a good night's sleep." Twilight nodded, as she began to walk toward her tent.


	9. Strange Bedfellows

Day Three

Upon waking up, Fluttershy found herself alone in the tent. Rarity and Applejack's sleeping bags, which had been positioned to her left and right the previous night, were nowhere to be seen. Harsh morning sunlight glared through the tent, making her squint as she sat up. A mixed up jumble of sounds surrounded her, with similarly mixed up shapes to accompany them. Vague silhouettes paced around the tent, the blazing sun that shined from behind them giving them an almost angelic look.

She slid out from underneath her sleeping bag, and stood. Voices continued to stream from outside, but they were utterly unintelligible to the dazed pegasus standing inside the tent. Slowly, she hobbled outside. The moment her face broke through the flaps of her tent, she heard a curt voice address her.

"Oh, there you are, Fluttershy. We've been waiting for you. Hurry up, we've already lost enough time."

"I'm… sorry…" mumbled Fluttershy, the now uninterrupted sunlight pounding at her eyes with renewed vigor.

"Ugh! Your hair is simply atrocious. Hold still." When she finally worked up the strength to open her eyes, it was to see Rarity walking toward her purposefully, holding a comb.

"No, don't bother. It's okay, really. There's no need…" Fluttershy protested weakly as Rarity tugged the comb through her disheveled mane.

"I refuse to be seen in public with somepony who looks like she's wearing cotton candy on her head," she replied adamantly, her horn glowing mildly with the necessary magic to pull the comb through the air.

"Rarity, we're not exactly in public. This is the middle of the desert," pointed out Applejack, who had been surveying the exchange with some disapproval.

"Actually, the edge of the desert is more accurate," said the ever-helpful Twilight. "We should be getting close to Canterlot."

"As a matter of fact," said Rainbow, who was hovering above the party and peering over a particularly large sand dune, "we're there!"

* * *

><p>"Wow!" exclaimed Rarity, her moodiness momentarily forgotten. "Just look at it!"<p>

The grand city of Canterlot sparkled in the distance. Even if the gleaming capital had not been fitted neatly into the rock wall, the mountain on which it was built would have been a sight on its own. It was a jagged spike, nothing more or less, which tore viciously out of the ground around it. Canterlot was built to fit onto a protroding plateau, which, on any other mountain, would have been much too small to support a city of bustling ponies. Almost every time the five friends saw this mountain, it was from miles upon miles away. Now that they were standing at the base of the mountain, staring upwards at the looming tower of rock, they were able to fully appreciate the tremendous size of it.

"Well, why don't we get going?" asked Rainbow Dash. "If we hurry, it should only take us about an hour to walk there."

"How in the name of Celestia are we supposed to climb a mountain that big?" asked Applejack incredulously.

"Well, there _is_ a path, you know," said Rarity, raising a hoof to gesture at the dirt path that wound its way up the mountain side.

"How about we stop wasting time, then?" said Rainbow impatiently. "We need to get moving! We have to find Pinkie within a week, and giving her a head start won't help."

"Alright, we'll go. There's no need for the attitude, Rainbow," said Rarity pointedly.

"_My_ attitude? You've done nothing but complain since we've left!" replied Rainbow, firing up at once.

"Well, maybe I wouldn't if you gave me something to be happy about. We've already wasted enough of our time on this hiking trip."

"This _hiking trip_ was your idea!" said Rainbow, practically shouting now. "And in case you've forgotten, we're doing this to save Pinkie! Or don't you care about that?" Applejack, Twilight and Fluttershy were all shuffling about nervously, trying to decide which of them should intervene.

_Ooh, Dashie... please don't shout. I should probably say something, but... but... I can't. I'm just not brave enough... Oh, why do I have to be so useless?_ Fluttershy was trembling, and tears were brimming in her eyes. She looked down at the ground, hiding her face from the the others behind a wall of streaming pink hair.

* * *

><p>Applejack turned to Twilight, biting her lip. When quarrels broke out, as they did surprisingly often, Twilight was usually the peacemaker of the group. At the moment, however, she seemed to be struggling.<p>

_Whose side do I take? What do I say? I suppose Rarity has had a pretty bad attitude. But then again, Rainbow... Rainbow..._

Twilight blinked, and against the blackness of her eyelids, there was imprinted an image. The image of Rainbow Dash, the strong, athletic, popular pony, silhouetted outside a tent. And the image of Fluttershy, the tall, beautiful, universally loved pegasus, silhouetted next to her. The image of the taller pony bending down, caressing the other's leg with her muzzle. Then, she opened her eyes, and it was gone.

_What's wrong with me? I'm not jealous. I don't _like_ mares... but, I suppose they do have it better than I do. After all, the situation is fairly grim; one of my best friends had gone on a potentially murderous rampage. In a situation like this, having somepony to love would certainly be consoling. But that's no reason to be angry. I should be happy for them! And I'm going to make the right decision._

Twilight heard a voice calling her name, and she returned to reality with a few confused blinks.

"Twilight! You comin'?" Looking up, Twilight found that the other four had already begun climbing the mountain path.

"Right," she said distractedly. _I must have zoned out for longer than I thought._ Twilight ran forward, to rejoin the group of friends ascending the mountain.

* * *

><p>The hike up the mountain was made in absolute silence. Rainbow and Rarity were still fuming at each other, and refused to speak for fear of reigniting the argument. Twilight was lost in her own thoughts, and Fluttershy seemed to be avoiding the rest of the group. Applejack knew better than to attempt to start a conversation with any of the distracted ponies, so she simply walked down the middle of the path in lonely silence. As they climbed higher, the dirt path that had wound its way around the craggy mountainside became leveler, and little sprigs of grass began to polka-dot the rock around them. On the ponies' right was a seemingly endless wall of solid mountain; on their left was a sheer drop. Despite all five of them having some mountaineering experience, the sight of their certain death only feet away was cause for some discomfort. Desire to stay away from the cliff edge overpowering their desire to stay away from each other, the three non-pegasi (and Fluttershy) all hugged the rock wall as they walked. The increasingly frigid air was thick with tension.<p>

Depending on who you asked, the hike up the mountainside either went by very quickly or very slowly. After what, in reality, was seventy-one minutes, the five ponie rounded a corner and found themselves staring at their destination.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash, her voice cracking from lack of use. Never having approached the city from this angle, the view inspired awe within the girls. They had stepped onto a protruding ridge, which must have extended at least a mile out of the mountain, and over three miles from one side to the other. While small, Canterlot was truly a magnificent sight. The high, blue walls formed a gleaming oval around the city. Through the small breach in the border which allowed access from the outside world, the ponies could see a glimpse of the bustling capital. Every surface in the city seemed to shine, reflecting the blazing mountain sunlight every which-way.

"Pinkie's somewhere in there," said Applejack quietly.

"Yes, I suppose so," Fluttershy said, eying the towers of the Royal Palace on the other side of the city.

"Celestia's palace," said Twilight Sparkle, following her gaze. "Isn't it wonderful? You know, that place is over a thousand years old. Celestia built it after Nightmare Moon was banished, because she didn't want to live in the castle that she used to share with her sister; too many bad memories. Its construction took only four months, because Celestia had help from..."

"Yeah, thanks for the history lesson, Twilight." Rainbow touched down onto the grassy mountain, and began to walk forward. "Remember the last time we were here? We practically destroyed the castle!"

"Yeah! And Fluttershy scared the life outta the garden animals," grinned Applejack, walking after her.

"Forget the animals, she scared the life out of _me_!" Rainbow stopped to allow the rest of the group to join her. "I had no idea you could be so... so..." she struggled for a word to describe Fluttershy's outburst. "Awesome!"

The rest of the group (barring Rarity) burst out laughing, and Fluttershy blushed deeply.

"I didn't mean to. It just... flew out of me. It was almost as if... almost as if... it had been building up inside me for a long time." At this, Applejack looked around at her, frowning. The others, however, showed no signs of having noticed anything odd.

"Well, we're just lucky Twilight's such good friends with the princess," said Rainbow Dash, still grinning broadly. "Otherwise, we'd probably have been locked up."

"I'd say it's lucky the princess has a sense of humor," said Twilight.

"Well, I'm not sure the workers who had to rebuild the room you destroyed found it very funny," Rarity said, unsmiling. Rainbow gave her a positively venomous look, and Twilight acted quickly to prevent another fight.

"Well," she said loudly, calling everyone's attention to her, "where in Canterlot do you suppose Pinkie is?"

"I think the better question is, why did she come here?" said Applejack. "She must have had a reason."

"Yes, I'm sure she did," said Rarity coldly. "She may have been delusional, but she's still capable of thinking like a normal pony."

"So, any ideas?" asked Twilight, looking between them.

"Well, her sister _does _live here."

"_What?" _Applejack exclaimed, staring at Rarity incredulously.

"Pinkie has a sister?" asked Twilight. Now Fluttershy and Rainbow were both following the discussion, wide-eyed.

"Two sisters, actually. Jane and Octavia."

"But why didn't she tell us? Why didn't _you _tell us?" Rarity opened her mouth, about to provide an honest answer. However, something then struck her; she couldn't remember why she hadn't told the others. Not wanting to leave them hanging, she forced out the first answer she could think of.

"Well, I didn't think it was important."

"Not important?" exclaimed Twilight. "But of course it's important! What if her family has a history of mental illness? So much could be learned."

"Yes, well," began Rarity, shuffling about uncomfortably. "I think I have some explaining to do."

* * *

><p>"So let me get this straight," said Rainbow incredulously. "You knew that Pinkie had a murderous psychopath for a sister this entire time, and you're just telling us now?"<p>

"Well, when you think about it practically," said Rarity defensively, "it really doesn't help us much."

"Actually, it helps us a huge amount. I'll bet anything that she came here to visit Octavia. Or maybe even Jane; she _is _family, after all. I don't think she'd have any trouble getting into the asylum."

"Getting _into _the loony bin was never Pinkie's problem," snickered Rainbow.

"Hey, girls!" said Applejack, raising her voice slightly to command the others' attention. "Why don't we focus up? Rainbow, weren't you the one complaining about wasting time just a minute ago?" Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Now," Applejack plowed onward, ignoring the attitude, "why don't we make a plan? Where are we gonna go first?"

There was a brief silence, while all the ponies took a moment to contemplate the question. They were standing outside the shining, golden Canterlot city gates, which remained invitingly open. Beyond the border, dozens of busy, well-dressed ponies were going about their days. The five ponies standing awkwardly at the edge of the city received some odd looks; after all, they couldn't have been more conspicuous. While the Canterlot ponies were poised and dignified, they were dirty, sweaty and slouching under the weight of their saddlebags. More to end the silence than anything else, Twilight spoke in a lower-than-normal voice.

"Well, I think that we should start by visiting Octavia. Even if Pinkie's not there, she may be able to give us some information."

"That sounds great!" said Applejack encouragingly. "Now, we just need to find out where she lives."

Another brief silence, as nobody knew what to say to this.

"Well..." said Rainbow Dash slowly, displaying uncharacteristic hesitance, "Canterlot is a pretty small city. Maybe if we just go inside and look around, we'll see her."

Nobody answered. They were all comtemplating the prospect of stepping through the looming gates. Despite all its beauty, there was something hostile about the capital. The five tired, small-town ponies had no place here. _But we've been here before, _thought Twilight. _We went to the Gala together half a year ago, and we were perfectly at ease back then. Why doesn't this place look friendly anymore? _The answer presented itself at once. _But it's obvious, isn't it? This time, we don't have Pinkie. And it doesn't help that we're all sick of each other by now._

"I suppose we'd better get going," said Applejack at last. There was a general nod of agreement from the other four ponies, and they all took a moment to steel themselves. Then, they all stepped forward, into the city.

* * *

><p>As they walked down the cobblestone streets, they were surrounded by ponies. It was difficult to avoid bumping into any of the commuters as they scanned the streets, searching for any stray puff of hair. None of them had any idea what Octavia would look like, <em>but she shouldn't be too hard to spot. <em>Rarity jerked to the left to avoid knocking into a passer-by, and slammed into Rainbow Dash. Rainbow gave her an annoyed look, but kept her mouth shut. None of them wanted to talk. _After all, she's related to Pinkie Pie. If she's anything like her sister, she'll stand out like a sore thumb. These Canterlot ponies are bland looking, aren't they? _Rarity found herself staring at the locals, making a mental list of the colors she saw. _Grey, grey, grey, black, grey, black, grey... Ooh! Dark blue! That's nice. Hey, what are you looking at? That's right, buddy. Keep on walking. Uck! Mud! Honestly, why is there mud in the middle of the road? _

The ponies walked side by side down the road, blue and gold buildings looming over them from either side. The city was as magnificent on the inside as it looked from the outside, but there was still something oppressive about the unspeaking ponies that were bustling along beside them. _I do hope we find her soon. I don't like it here. Not one bit._

"Girls," whispered a voice to Rarity's left. Looking around, she saw that Rainbow Dash had stopped in her tracks. "Look over there." Fluttershy, Twilight, Applejack and Rarity all turned their heads, and stared in the direction of Rainbow's raised hoof. She was gesturing at a house immediately to their left; except it wasn't really a house. It was the largest mansion any of them had ever seen. Even Rainbow Dash, who had seen her fair share of extravagant housing in Cloudsdale, was momentarily awestruck. It, like every other building in the city, was sparkling blue. But unlike the other buildings, it was not simply a box infixed with windows and a door. It was more than twice as wide as any other house, and tall enough to stick out from the rows of flat roofs on either side of it. There was a set of stairs leading up to the front wall, and pillars held up the overhanging stone ceiling. It might have been a town hall, had it not been for the disproportionally small, wooden door, branded with a golden address, that stood at the top of the staircase.

"You don't suppose she lives there, do you?_" _Rainbow asked, still in a low whisper.

"Why would she? Pinkie's family isn't rich," said Twilight, looking up and down the building.

"Or maybe they are, and they just never bothered sharing with her," suggested Applejack.

"Well, there's only one way to find out." And at that, Rainbow dashed up the set of stairs.

"Rainbow!" hissed Twilight, racing after her. "Wait!" The group of ponies all ascended the stairs at a gallop. "Rainbow!" she said again, panting as she stumbled over the last step and came to rest, leaning against the wall. "You... you can't just knock on some random pony's door! Honestly, why is there any reason to assume this is Octavia's house?"

"I dunno." Rainbow Dash struck the door three times. "I just have a _feeling,_ you know?"

"A _feeling?" _asked Twilight, outraged.

"Yeah. I mean, it's kinda like Pinkie Sense. And you believe in that, don't you?"

"I... I... UGH!" She stomped her hooves in frustration. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Well, let's just wait to see if I'm right first." Sighing loudly, Twilight glanced around at the other three, looking for support. They, however, were all staring expectantly at the door.

* * *

><p>Fluttershy shuffled her hooves, uncomfortable. <em>First Rainbow and Rarity, and now this. I wish we could just stop fighting. I miss Ponyville. I miss Pinkie. <em>Then, the doorknob began to rattle back and forth. There was a synchronized intake of breath, as the five ponies waited to see what would happen next. Within a few seconds, the door swung open.

There was a pony standing in the doorway. Her coat was a light, glossy shade of grey. Her jet-black mane swung beneath her chin, nearly touching the floor. It too was glossy and neat, the obvious result of daily washing and conditioning. Her face, like the rest of her body, was smooth and refined. She was currently wearing a mild frown below her haughty, upturned nose and her large, purple eyes. One of her eyebrows seemed permanently raised, giving her a perpetual look of either skepticism or pleasant surprise. And at the other end of her body, just above her left leg, was a thin, purple line, tracing out a treble clef. At the sight of the five ponies before her, she gave a little smile.

"Well, hello there." They all squirmed under her gaze, trying to decide what to do. Twilight glanced at Rainbow, and Rainbow glanced at Twilight. Rainbow gave a vigorous nod, and Twilight turned back to the pony at the door.

"Um..." she began nervously. "Hi. We were just wondering... we were just wondering if your name happened to be... Octavia." There was a brief pause, as the pony looked them over. Then, she nodded.

"Told you!" exclaimed Rainbow, grinning at the outraged Twilight.

"Okay, fine," she growled. "You got lucky. Good job."

"So," cut in Octavia. "To what do I owe the pleasure? Pinkie usually doesn't tell her friends about me."

"How do you know we're Pinkie's friends?" asked Twilight, distracted from her irritation.

"Well, I don't know if you're aware, but destroying the royal palace earns you a spot in the Canterlot Inquirer. Your faces were all over the news after last year's gala. Not to mention the fact that I was there myself."

"_You _were at the gala?" Octavia's eyebrow rose a touch higher.

"I was performing, in fact. It was the first time I'd seen my sister in years."

"But... but..." began Twilight, struggling to organize the information being thrown at her. "But if you were there, why didn't you talk to Pinkie? Why didn't she talk to you?"

"Well, she did talk to me. She gave me a song recommendation." Twilight just stared. Octavia let out a sigh, and looked over her shoulder, back into the house.

"Perhaps you should step inside."

* * *

><p>"Whoa! This place is amazing!" Rainbow Dash looked around in awe, her eyes bouncing from one shiny thing to another. The entrance hall alone contained more gold than any of the ponies had ever seen outside the royal palace. It seemed that the bulk of the mansion was contained within this one room; for despite knowing Octavia for all of two minutes, Twilight could tell that this room contained everything she would need to live happily. On the right-hand half, there were two golden chairs with red velvet cushions, standing opposite each other. Between them was a small wooden table, convenient for resting one's beverage during a sophisticated discussion. A sofa, also colored gold and red, sat facing them. On the left-hand side of the room was a larger table, perfectly round and also wooden, with eight chairs positioned around it. There didn't seem to be any type of kitchen; just smooth golden walls, dotted with framed pieces of artwork, or the occasional photograph, generally featuring Octavia herself standing alongside a well-known figure in politics, music, fashion, or whatever else. In the center of this room was a long red carpet, beginning from the doorway, and leading up a flight of stairs directly ahead. At the top of the stairs was a balcony, overlooking the entrance hall. Four doors positioned along the back wall of the balcony led to various rooms.<p>

"So," began Octavia, leading her guests toward the circular table, ignoring their bedazzlement. "You want to know why Pinkie didn't talk to me?" She pulled one of the chairs out from under the table, and sat down. The others followed suit.

"Yes, I do," said Twilight, as soon as she'd taken a seat facing Octavia. "If that was the first time you'd met in years, wouldn't you want to catch up a little?"

"Well, I don't really know why she didn't talk to me. My suspicion, however, is that she didn't recognize me."

"You don't think she's recognize her own sister?" said Twilight, bewildered.

"A lot about me has changed since we lived on that rock farm," said Octavia coldly. "When Pinkie left the farm to start a new life in Ponyville, I was younger, dirtier, and I didn't know a thing about the real world. I can see why she wouldn't guess that I, one of the most successful musicians in Canterlot, used to spend all day pushing rocks across a field."

"So... Pinkie left the farm?" asked Twilight, trying to picture the sequence of events in her head. It wasn't particularly late, but her eyelids were beginning to droop. _It _has _been a long week._

"When she was thirteen. The day she got her cutie mark, she became absolutely useless as a rock farmer. I trust she told you that story?" The ponies all nodded slowly.

"But she never mentioned you," said Fluttershy, who was sitting between Twilight and Rainbow Dash.

"Well," Octavia pressed on, "that day, Pinkie taught us all how to have a good time. And that's all well and good, but having a good time doesn't pay the bills. So, Jane and I continued to work the farm. Pinkie, though, she was gone. Refused to push another rock for as long as she lived. A few years later, she took off." There was a momentary silence, as everybody pondered this development. Then, Octavia resumed her story. "A few weeks after that, Jane left us too. She was fifteen at the time. I stayed on to help our parents with the rock farm for a few more months, but eventually..." Octavia gave a little shrug. "I had to move on." There was another silence.

"So," began Twilight, "You haven't seen Pinkie since the gala?" Octavia studied her for a moment before answering.

"No, I haven't. Why do you ask?"

"Well..." Twilight considered for a moment, wondering how much to say. _But she _is _Pinkie's sister. She deserves to know everything. Besides, the same thing happened to Jane. She'll put two and two together even if I don't tell her. _"Pinkie's run away." Octavia stared for a moment.

"Has she attacked anypony yet?" _Yep, she knows._

"How d'you think I got these?" asked Applejack, raising a leg to gesture at her many cuts and bruises. Octavia gave a little 'ah' of understanding.

"So, let me guess," she began, looking intently at Twilight, whom she seemed to have decided was the leader of the group. "A few days ago, Pinkie attacked _that _one for no apparent reason, and took off toward Canterlot. And I suppose you know about Jane." The ponies all turned their heads toward Rarity, who nodded.

"I took a visit to Ponyville Central, and I got the whole story from a desk mare."

"A desk mare told you?" Octavia gave a snort. "She shouldn't have been allowed to do that. There's too much information in this world, and not enough privacy." Nobody knew what to say to this, so there was a brief silence. Eventually, Octavia stood up. "So, you came here, hoping that Pinkie would have stopped by to say hello?"

"Eeyup," said Applejack, in typical Apple family fashion. "So, I suppose you haven't seen her." Octavia shook her head.

"I'm afraid not. And I don't suppose _you _all have a place to sleep."

* * *

><p>Fluttershy looked around at the others, who were all looking around at each other. Twilight took the initiative.<p>

"Well, we packed some tents..."

"But what kind of host would I be if I let you sleep outside the town gates?" asked Octavia, smiling. "You can spend the night here."

"Oh," Twilight said, surprised but grateful. "Thank you. We'd love to, right?" They all nodded, with varying levels of conviction. Rarity was delighted, as sleeping in a real bed was a privilege she had never fully appreciated until it was taken away. Fluttershy, however, was hesitant.

"I'm afraid you'll have to share beds, though. And one of us will need to sleep on the couch." Everybody was silent. Rarity held her nose in the air, and pretended she didn't notice her friends staring at her. "I suppose I should do it," offered Octavia. "After all, you're guests. One of you can sleep in my room."

"Thank you very much, miss," said Fluttershy. Given another moment, she would have volunteered. However, force of habit had glued her mouth shut.

"Now, which of you will share rooms?" It was unclear whether she was thinking aloud or asking their opinion. Either way, nobody answered. Fluttershy shot a furtive glance toward Rainbow, who was in the process of shooting a furtive glance toward her. She blushed, and looked away.

"So, let's have _you_," she raised a hoof to gesture at Applejack, "sleep alone. My bedroom is on the far right. Don't touch my things." Applejack nodded dutifully.

"And, as for the pairs..." she surveyed the four remaining ponies before her. Perhaps she was just being paranoid, but Fluttershy thought she could feel Octavia's gaze linger on her before moving on to Rainbow. Smiling, she finished her sentence. "Why don't we have the two of you sleep together?"

Fluttershy sighed internally as she saw Octavia gesture to her and Dash. "I hope there are no objections?"

"Nope!" said Rainbow, hopping to her hooves.

"No," said Fluttershy quietly.

"Well then, why don't we get to our rooms? If we're going to find Pinkie, we'll need a good night's rest."

"What do you mean, 'we'?" asked Rainbow, who was already halfway up the stairs. "Are _you _coming with us?"

"She's my sister," said Octavia testily. "And even if we've never been particularly close, I still care about her wellbeing. I don't want her to go the same way as Jane." Rainbow just shrugged, too eager to get bed to begin an argument, and raced up the stairs.

* * *

><p>"What happened to Jane?" asked Twilight, who waited behind as the rest of her friends trooped up to the bedrooms. She was as sleepy as any of them, but curiosity kept her behind.<p>

"She's currently living in Canterlot Asylum. She's really not that bad; not when she's on her medication. But, after what she did, there's no getting out. I visit her every now and again, when I'm in the mood."

"What do you mean, 'she's not that bad'?" she said, wary of getting dragged into another mental-illness induced drama. Octavia just waved a hoof dismissively.

"Oh, nothing really. She's just an odd pony. As a matter of fact..." Octavia paused for a moment, and smiled deviously before continuing. "I could take you along to see her tomorrow, if there would be no objections."

"Sure, that sounds great," said Twilight, resting one hoof on the lowermost step. Having learned what she'd needed to learn, she was eager get to bed.

"Excellent. She'll be delighted to meet you, I'm sure." Twilight began to climb the staircase.

"Well then, goodnight!" She dragged herself upwards, a sudden wave of exhaution weighing pressing down onto her hooves.

"I'll see you in the morning." Octavia strode over to her throne-like couch. After lying down the length of it, resting her head on a velvet pillow, she glanced upwards toward the balcony to ensure that her guest had reached her destination. Her eye caught a glimpse of drooping purple tail, before it slid into the bedroom and out of view.

* * *

><p>"There you are, Twilight. Hurry up and shut the door, that light is insufferable!"<p>

Rarity's voice pierced Twilight's ear like an ice pick. Screwing up her face, she pulled the door shut behind her, blocking out the light from the other room. Rarity was lying on her back on one side of the bed, looking distinctly short-fused. Maneuvering as best she could in the darkness, Twilight made her over to the bed. She crawled under the covers delicately, trying her best not to disturb Rarity. She was much too tired to initiate a confrontation. _All I need now is a good night's... _she stifled a yawn. _...A good night's sleep. _Fortunately, her sour bunkmate didn't see fit to speak again, and falling asleep was an easy task.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash silently watched as Fluttershy settled into the bed. She was reclining on the matress, her muzzle angled toward the ceiling, but she couldn't help but watch her friend out of the corner of her eye. Fluttershy delicately pulled back the covers and slipped underneath them, apparently under the impression that her bunkmate was asleep. Every now and again, her eyes would glance upwards, stealing a glance at Rainbow before forcing themselves back down. After crawling into bed, Fluttershy curled up into a ball, and rolled over.<p>

Rainbow stared at the pitiable huddle of pink and yellow fluff. _She's not doing too hot, _she thought herself gravely. _Something has to be done. I'm not gonna just watch as my friend suffers! She just needs something to cheer her up... a little pick-me-up. _Rainbow gave an almost evil grin. _If I were Pinkie, I'd throw her a party_. _But I don't think that's the kind of pick-me-up she needs. I need to lend her a hoof, Rainbow style! _As she schemed, Fluttershy's quick, forced, dead-silent breaths slowed. Her body fully relaxed, and she let her legs stretch underneath the covers. Rainbow took much longer to fall asleep.

* * *

><p>Nope, I'm not dead. Just a lazy bastard. Well, okay, that's not entirely true. I have an explanation.<p>

For the last few months, I've been revising and re-revising like crazy. And I'm not even close to being finished looking over everything for mistakes. If you think I've given up, or forgotten about the story, nope. I've been working harder than ever. I just haven't been making much forward progress.

The whole story, and this chapter in particular, is in every way a rough draft. There are still typos to fix, plot-holes (teehee) to fill in, at least one sub-plot to add, at least one sub-plot to cut, and plenty smoothing out of rough edges. That said, all criticism is appreciated. There are many problems that I am aware of, but there are definately countless more that I haven't noticed yet.

And finally, to conclude this self-indulgent rant, I'm afraid to say that this is (probably) the last chapter that will be going up on . It is my ambition to get it published on EqD, and when/if I achieve my goal, I'm going to feed it to EqD one chapter at a time. Therefore, spoilers must be kept to a minimum. If you follow EqD, keep an eye out for "Heroes and Villains".

Well, I think that's everything. See ya around, bronies. Peace!


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